What lights on a $600 budget?

[rtoycrow]

Well i am in the process of setting up a 240 gal tank. It is 8 ft long and i am stuck on which lights i should get. I only have around $600 to spend on lights right now so i need some help deciding on what would be best for the money. One choice would be buying 3 clamp on metal halide lights that are 150 watts each which would be 450 watts total. They are $199 a piece, lights included. And my other option i was thinking about was buying 3 48 in, t-5 216 watts fixtures ($216 a piece) and staggering them over the tank. Total wattage would be 648 watts. I plan on doing some coral but nothing really too hard so what would be the better choice? Or any other ideas i would appreciate. I know doing retro would be cheaper but i really don't want to do that so that is out.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Retrofit kits aren't that difficult at all!!!!! You should try it, or pay an electrician at a local hardware store to wire it for you fo $20 bucks.
IF I were you, I would get three 250 watt 20k metal halides - of course the retrofit kits. It would have to be a magnetic ballast through.
If you don't want to do the retro route and your dead set on buying a system - two 432 watt T5 Nova Extreme 8 x 54 watt bulbs with individual reflectors should do really nice.
I highly recommend going with metal halides in the first place. You will be extremely glad you did. Good luck!

 

[rtoycrow]

Thats sounds good but i don't have but around $600 to spend on lights at the moment. Can you get what you said for around $600? I thought the nova extremes were fairly expensive?

 

[1journeyman]

Instead of trying to fly under the budget and settling with the most important aspect of the tank, plan it out and by in pieces.
I would suggest deciding exactly what corals you want ot determine lighting requirements. Then go with part of it as you can afford. My 180 had 3 separate lighting systems; Actinic VHO, Daylight VHO, and 4 HQI. You could by this in 3 sections.
$600 for a 240 reef tank is way too little to budget for lighting. You will spend close to that in bulbs...
Plan carefully. That way you avoid smacking yourself later.

 

[rtoycrow]

makes sense. thanks

 

[snakeblitz33]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
http:///forum/post/2910810
Instead of trying to fly under the budget and settling with the most important aspect of the tank, plan it out and by in pieces.
I would suggest deciding exactly what corals you want ot determine lighting requirements. Then go with part of it as you can afford. My 180 had 3 separate lighting systems; Actinic VHO, Daylight VHO, and 4 HQI. You could by this in 3 sections.
$600 for a 240 reef tank is way too little to budget for lighting. You will spend close to that in bulbs...
Plan carefully. That way you avoid smacking yourself later.
Eh, +1
Depending what you want to keep, you could definately run some six foot VHO's first for softies and few LPS and then get the metal halides later. Great idea!