Lighting for 20 gallon reef

[ReefMan75-20-15]

Hi all. Quick question. I need some help on lighting on my 20 gallon long reef. I was thinking of doing VHO, but the guy at one of the LFS talked me into MH. This will be my first experience with MH so I need to know what kind and where to buy them from. He suggested 175 watt with a 10000k Coralife bulb. He said the whold thing would be $350.00. Is this a good price or should I look around. Any help would be great.

 

[LA-Lawman]

Hi,

you could go MH.. I 175 or even a 150 HQI would be enough.... Try marine depot or inland reef... they are a RDO supporter.. then maybe champion lighting.....

If you want to stay with a non MH set-up maybe a coralife 96w powerquad.... then swap the bulb for a custom-sealife 96w bulb.....

i have a 65w customsealife smart-lite on my 20g. i have a 4" sandbed and plenty of rock. so i think that i can keep some of the high light stuff if it is near the top....

i might switch to a 150w MH if i dont get the result i want...

 

[ReefMan75-20-15]

Well right now I have 130 watt Coralife Aqualight PC fixture on it. But I want to keep Acropora and be able to keep the bright colores. I beleive the only way to do this would be MH. So RDO you say to go with?

 

[ReefMan75-20-15]

This may sound stupid but what is HQI and PFO?