Help with Lighting

[cet98]

I am planning ahead for my 52 gal cube build…24” x 24” x 21”H
I am very concerned about doing this right, so I would appreciate any help…
I am looking to choose the “right” choice of lighting for this build…
So you know, I will be primarily keeping zoanthids along with a some SPS corals and mushrooms…
I want to supply my little friends with good lighting for growth but I really want to get maximum color…
So what direction you do suggest?... MH?...T5’s?...LED?...combination of????
I have read a lot of posts regarding the use of T5’s, but since I only have room for a 24” wide light fixture, will 4 -24W lamps be enough to promote health and growth for my intended residents?
FYI, I am also hoping to hang (suspend) my light fixture above my tank, preferably 10” to 12” above the top, so I am also considered about proper light penetration to the bottom of the tank…
thanks in advance!

[cet98]

^^^

[mordibv]

Sorry to say but at that height t-5's to 30 inches to the bottom of the tank is going to take a lot more than 4 to do it .Mid tank range would be 20 inches .IMHO Those t-5 need to be in a good reflecting fixture too .
Sand depth may help too .

If you can see where i am going with this leaves suspending the lights lower or going halides to compensate . I would chose no less than a 250 watt de or up to a 400 watt in some flavor of a lumenarc fixture . You did say SPS which is why I stated the answers above .

Hope my 2 cents helps .

[nanoguy]

I'm going to have to agree with the above statement. I would not go with anything less then a 250 watt DE MH unit for your setup especially if you plan on suspending it above the tank.

[Melonbob]

Why do you want to suspend them that high? If you use a t5 fixture with the legs that come with it, you would be good to go. If you go with a MH ar that height, you are going to have all sorts of light spill around the outside of the tank

[The Grim Reefer]

If you are only going to have a few SPS up on the rocks a 6x24 watt ATI Powermodule T5 will do fine.

[cet98]

yeah, I was thinking that the T5's would not provide enough light for my needs...
Melonbob, I am building a rimless starphire cube and want very much to have a clean "open" scheme to my design...
Grim, I took a look at the ATI's and they are really sweet (exactly the look I am leaning towards ;) ) I did notice that the pricing is very similar to the new Sfiligoi Zenith MH/T5 combo units...I am think that for the same $$$ I am probably better off with the MH/T5 over just T5's, would you agree???

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13778764#post13778764 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cet98
yeah, I was thinking that the T5's would not provide enough light for my needs...
Melonbob, I am building a rimless starphire cube and want very much to have a clean "open" scheme to my design...
Grim, I took a look at the ATI's and they are really sweet (exactly the look I am leaning towards ;) ) I did notice that the pricing is very similar to the new Sfiligoi Zenith MH/T5 combo units...I am think that for the same $$$ I am probably better off with the MH/T5 over just T5's, would you agree???

Yeah, a big part of T5's advantage over halides comes from being able to have them closer to the water So when you mount them high the advantage is lost.