Lighting upgrade question

[Waterdog]

I have a 47 column tank I would like to upgrade the lighting in. I currently have some mushrooms but would also like to have some polyps. Since it is a column tank it is deeper than most and also would require a 20 inch fixture do to the deminsions. Any suggestions?

[Melonbob]

You can go with this if you are looking at t5 only, but I don't know how deep it would light you up....

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...ILTFIT5T5.html

If it is a 47g that is only 20 wide, your best bet IMHO is a metal halide pendant, perhaps one that has supplemental lighting such as this....

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...TFIMHPDDE.html

[dustin_P74]

i would go with the T-5's it is plenty of light for the tank, and i think MH lighting would over heat that tank

[Melonbob]

a 47g column is usually 30" deep dustin, I'm not sure about an 18w t5 penetrating that far

[yote]

It'd be a crap shoot IMO.
To be on the safe side,I think I would go the pendant too.

[Waterdog]

Thanks guys, I was also worried about the depth. I will look at pendants, and T5s. At least with the pendant I could suspend it over the tank and have some air flow between it and the tank. How do you think my mushrooms would react to more light??????

[daugherty]

if you have to much light they will close up. in my old 50 i could not keep them alive.

[Bifferwine]

If your mushrooms seem to be reacting poorly to too much light, you can move them to the bottom of the tank and try to shade them somewhat using the rockwork.