Would this light be okay for softies?

[Bedroomgangsta]

http://www.aquatraders.com/Odyssea-48in-4x54W-T5-HO-Light-Fixture-Extendable-p/52305.htm

[AeonPhoenix]

I'm assuming you have a 55g that is 20" deep? In that case yes.
T5HO has good par, so it's spectrum can reach the bottom of that tank just fine.

You could even try some lps with that unit, like caulastrea or acanthastrea. I would recommend placing them closer to the top though.

With Odyssea, I have heard of people being frustrated with bulb replacement though. Some of the pin arrangements are funky and may require a converter cap.
I would inquire about the bulbs configuration and before purchasing.

[Bedroomgangsta]

As cheap as it is i think im willing to take the risk even if mild modifications are needed down the road. thanks a lot for your input pheonix I appreciate it. And yes it is a 55 at 20" deep, good call haha.

[AeonPhoenix]

That is really cheap. Too cheap not to consider. Here's a thread on them. Aside from the stock bulbs looking a little yellow and some people saying they catch on fire... lol

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1719758

[Bedroomgangsta]

lol no kidding how can i not consider it, everything else ive been looking at is around 300$ so lets hope it doesnt catch on fire! know of any cheap 4 bulb set ups in a 48"

[AeonPhoenix]

Well, I wouldn't bother replacing the bulbs with cheap ones, as they will probably look about as unflattering as the ones that come with it anyways. Bulbs are the one thing I would not try to cut corners on. All the top brands run about $22 per 48" bulb.
ATI seems to be very popular around here, but it seems to be a matter of personal preference.

I suppose if the light looks fine to you, just use them. Otherwise you could try leaving the x2 stock actinic blues, and just replace the x2 10k bulbs. These would be the ones producing the unfavorable yellow anyways.

The main thing is to determine if they are straight or square pin before you order replacements, and also if they are compatible with standard replacement bulbs. According to that thread, there was some confusion about this but someone did say that the bulbs were standard. I guess just wait until you get them so you can compare and confirm that ATI, Coralife, or UVL will work.

[Bedroomgangsta]

Alright well do they make a 14000K bulb in the t5 48"? I hear this is the best color in general along with the actinic but perhaps take the actinic out and add 2 10000k and 2 14000k? I am going to order it tomorrow and perhaps when it comes in I shall post a thread on it.

[AeonPhoenix]

The higher the number, the more into the blue spectrum it is. Think of the rainbow ROY G BIV system. 12k is closer to blue/indigo whereas 16k is closer to indigo/violet. The actinic lights are more for aesthetic than photosynthetic purposes. They make the colors in your corals pop, so I would keep them. Then again, with a few 14k bulbs in there, it might be visually blue enough without actinics.
I think the goal is to get those "deep marine" looking hues without washing the tank out with too much white or too much blue.

I have played with different combos, and have found that I like a combo of 420nm on the actinics, and 12k on the daylights. Some prefer a mix of 460nm on the actinics, and 10k on the daylights. All a matter of preference.

Here's a thread that has some photos showing the result by mixing different temperatures

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=178954

(and I have not seen a 14k t5ho bulb, but I don't know whether or not they make them)