lighting for 48x24x18?

[ssminnow81]

making a custom 48x24x18 reef tank. what lighting would be best suited for these dem.?lps and softies only

 

[ssminnow81]

any help???Either t5s or halides?and what size /type

 

[thirty5]

Best suited is hard to say. You can use: MH, T5, or LED's. It all depends on what you want, and how much you have to spend. Looks like you will have a 90 gal?

You will be able to use any of the three for corals. While the lps and softies do not need as much light as sps. LED's are much more configurable IMO, with the dimming capability, and they give you the option to be able to get SPS in the future if you decided.

So the best suited is always hard. I think that it comes down to how much you want to spend.

 

[Flashy2003]

For softies and lps t-5's will work. They are even good for sps. Halides are nice and the shimmer is awesome but its not needed. Plus MH heat up your tank a lot. I just switched to Leds. They are pricey. But almost no heat. They are powerful. Some are dimmable and you get shimmer, But its all about price.

 

[jerl77]

t5 will work well for sps lps zoos and mushrooms go with the t5s

 

[E.intheC]

those dimensions are awesome. What's your budget? With 18 inch depth, you should be able to use less light and hang it a bit higher, especially with LPS and Softies.

I'd say 2x AI Sol Blue fixtures would work. Or a 6 bulb T5 fixture. 3ft or 4ft long.
Two halides would work as well. Really up to you.

Try and see the different setups in person so you can weigh the pros and cons before making a decision.

 

[Jaftica]

I got a nice 5 bulb fixture...Aquatinic TX-5 48 inch