I need Lighting advice - 240g Reef to be

[95Harley]

Per some of my other post I am taking the first steps to convert my 240g FOWLR to a reef.

I need some things cleared up about lighting. The tank is 8'x2'x2'. I am current running 8x65w PC's under the canopy.

I want to start off with some soft corals: Xenia, Colt, Kenya, shrooms, etc.
Then move into Star Polyps, Zoos, Leathers.
And eventually into SPS like Montipora Capricornas, staghorn, etc.

I started to take off my PC's and replace with T5's. But when I ran the #'s Watts per Gallon I would need 16 bulbs (8 on each side).

I also thought about leaving my PC's and adding a single 250W MH on each end over the LR ledges. But I worry about the heat it might put out. I don't want to buy a chiller.

I also thought about LED arrays on the ends. Now I'm just confused.

Can someone help and give some advice on the best lighting for what I need without overdoing it?

HELP..

[95Harley]

What am I chopped liver? Here and the lighting forum...several days no responses.

Help a brother out with a $1000+ choice.

1. 2 MH's on ends along with several T5s front and back
2. 4 MH's with 1-2 T5 on front and back for Dawn/Dusk (as long it wont need a chiller)
3. 16x T5's (8 on each side of the tank)

What's my best play for what I want to do?

[shaneh]

you will be better in the lighting forum talk to Grim Reefer....but my input would be to do the #2. you don't need MH for kenya and zoas so i'd say t5 to save on PGE. But then when you do SPS you will need MH or alot of T5. So depends on how much you wnat to spend on PGE, bulb replacement and itital investment. $1000 will go very quick for a tank your size. I'm doing a 180 bow with 1 MH 1 VHO and 8 T5

[JGYEAR]

I'd go with atleast (3) 250 watt MH maybe 4 and (2) 4' T-5's on the front side and (2) 4' T-5's on the back side to span the 8' if your going to do SPS. I have a 240 gallon tall with the samething but my T-5's are 3' long due to my tank only being 6' long. I should have gone with 400 watt MH but the 250 watt do ok. That $1,000 will go fast doing the lighting in an 8' tank. Good luck.

[95Harley]

Well because of the heat issues and based on all the good advice I've received from others I decided to go with T5's overdriven with Ice Cap 660 Ballasts.

I got a STEAL from a company that had mistakenly priced their IceCap Prewired 48" Retro Kit & Ballast for $297 each. so I bought (4). In the end I got it all for $1,191. Now I'll just need to buy the bulbs...roughly $350 more and I should be good to go.

Thanks everyone for the advice.