lighting up my reef/fish tank

[bustedup21]

Currenty I have a 75 g tank (48 x 19 x 20) with 140lbs of live rock 75lbs of live sand/argonite mix running BAKPAK 2R dual venturi a small hang on refugium with 8 40 watt standard flourescents. The mix on the bulbs are 2 18k 2 a03 actinic 2 50/50 7500 2 aqua glo bulbs. The mix of livestock is as follows:
1 yellow tang size medium
2 4 stripe damsel
3 clarke
1 yellow tail damsel
1 devil damsel
1 med foxface
1 bi-color angel
2 pajama cardinals
2 banjai cardinals
1 algae goby
1 green bubbletip anenamea?
1 green sps
1 orange sps
1 elagance
1 mushroom leather
1 toadstool leather currently splitting
1 large (6 x 8) mushroom colony
1 purple pagoda cup
1 yellow pagoda cup
1 pearl bubble sps
4 pieces of soft coral
1 feather duster
1 emarald crab
10 turbo snails
numerous hermits and astreas
I am wanting to change to either pc at 6 x 65 or t-5 lights at 8 x 54. I have been at this a year and the tank is stable. 0's across. Adding a larger refugium now (15 gal).
Sorry for the length but I thought you would need to know. What are the suggestions.
Steve

 

[tkblazer]

i would go with the T5's merely for the intensity and vast spectrum of bulbs availible... you would be amazed at what you can keep with T5's and since your tank is 20" tall you should be able to keep almost anything you like
good luck
nam

 

[jdm_ae86]

if money isnt an issue for elec. bills and other things, then you could go with the t5's, but 432 watts is a lot... you could go with 2x 150 HQI or 2x175 SE..and that would be more than enough to keep anything you want..
FYI a 150 watt HQI's output is equivalent to a 250 watt SE's output.

 

[bustedup21]

I have looked at the Halides but do not like the heat that comes off of them. My friend has 2 175 and 2 03's on a 105 and that tank increases 5 to 8 degrees through the day even with 4 fans. I found some of the pc with 400 watt with 10k's 6.5k and 420-460 actinics plus three night led for 24 hr lighting and the cost for these was around 375. The 8 bulb t-5 was 339 with the bulbs. The halides were only 150 more so it would not be a step to them. I have budgeted 600 for lights. This is so confusing. My tank has been doing very well but I know I need to upgrade. Especially now because the bulds are 8 months old and need to be replaced.:help: :help: :help: :help:

 

[nas19320]

I'm suprised that your friend has such a heat problem, I run dual 175's with 2 T5's on a 55 with two cheap 3" fans and actually have problems keeping my tank warm if the ambient temp isn't above 75. I know of people who run dual 250's on 55 gallons with very little problems.

 

[jdm_ae86]

actually, heat doesnt differ from halide to t5 or pc or any light..so 500 watts of halide will produce the same heat as 500 watts of t5..if anything differs in heat, its the ballast.