Another Lighting Question!

[echinatl]

Ok so it seems like some people like T5's and some Metal Halides... I'm going to be upgrading to a 36LX15WX16H and want to find a solid future proof that will keep my happy for a long time. What are everyone’s opinions on the metal halide + T5HO fixtures? Is it the best of both worlds? The specific config I'm looking at are 2 150W halides and 4 T5HOs.

Examples:
http://www.current-usa.com/outerorbithqit5ho.html">http://www.current-usa.com/outerorbithqit5ho.html</a>

or the Halide T5 mod at Fish Need It:

2 of these: [IMG]http://fishneedit.com/150w-metal-halide-pendant-lig.html">http://fishneedit.com/150w-metal-halide-pendant-lig.html</a>
and 2 of these: [IMG]http://fishneedit.com/t5ho-3ft--2lamp-aquarium-light.html">http://fishneedit.com/t5ho-3ft--2lamp-aquarium-light.html</a>[B]<u></u>[/B]

 

[johnr2604]

You will be much happier with the current fixture.

 

[echinatl]

johnr2604;278762 wrote: You will be much happier with the current fixture.

Yea I like that one a lot too but with the sale going on at fishneedit theirs is almost half the price.... I've read mix reviews on their stuff.

 

[johnr2604]

echinatl;278780 wrote: Yea I like that one a lot too but with the sale going on at fishneedit theirs is almost half the price.... I've read mix reviews on their stuff.

I have one of there t-5 fixtures I use for actinic supplementation. I hated the bulb color so add the cost of replacement bulbs. The blue bulb they use is a 20 k and not an actinic. Plus you dont get moonlights. I have also owned several current fixtures and they have been rock solid for the most part and if there was a problem they were quick to fix.

 

[echinatl]

I think with any fixture I would swap out the bulbs and the fact they dont have moonlights built in in a bummer, but the more I think about it the more I think I'm going to chance it. The concept seems good though, metal halide plus T5HO, with such strong opinions on which is best, it seems combining them would give you the best of both worlds. Or I could be wasting a ton of money....

 

[echinatl]

Well I ordered two 150w fixtures and two 2bulb T5HO fixtures from FishNeedIt. All for under 400 bucks. It could be junk but we will see