15 or 29g lights

[electriclunch]

Looking for a pendant light fixture for a 15 or 29g tank that will allow me to keep most corals and a clam. Unsure which tank size I'd really go with as it depends on price and the size of whatever new apartment we move into.

How much light is too much?

It seems that pendant fixtures are cheaper than the standard kind that sit on the tank. I assume because they don't have to come in different sizes. Are there any serious drawbacks to using a pendant? Are they actually cheaper or am I just not looking in the right place?

Basically I'm trying to put it all together cheaper than the cost of the HQI biocube of the same general size, but I know next to nothing about MH lights.

I know WPG is generally a pretty poor way to judge lighting but some of the fixtures I've come across are around 20 and that seems like it would be too much.

Searching different forums and google just confuses me >_<. I've had a 55g for about 2 years with PC lights and hate them. Not strong enough and ugly. But when I was still wet behind the ears the guy at a LFS I no longer frequent told me it would be enough for anything I want.


Has anyone ever ordered from fishneedit.com?

 

[electriclunch]

Won't let me edit my post...

Anyway, after some discussion, I think we've decided to check into LED's as well. Wondering what the average price range for a 15g tank would be. I find it difficult to google answers when I can't tell the difference between whats decorative or made for planted tanks and what I would need to keep animals with higher lighting requirements.

If we go with the MH, I'd like to get out as cheap as possible. If we go with the LED's I'm obviously willing to spend a bit more for the virtually nonexistent upkeep cost, safer/cooler and the lower electricity bills. But I have no idea what I'm even looking at or what I'd need for a small tank.


We've decided to go with the 15 gallon.

 

[reeffreak]

There are many LED fixtures perfect for nano tanks.

Not knowing what you are willing to spend I'll link to one of the more affordable LED's.The 60w pendant will be plenty at the top of the page but I like the more focus 100w/3G unit below because they use the higher PAR 3w Cree bulbs.

LED Aquarium Lighting | Evolution LED Lights

 

[electriclunch]

Oh wow that is definitely affordable. I like the pendant shape. I hate how the lights I have on my 55g now are so huge. Well really the whole tank is huge. It was great to start with but takes up half my living room.

But the 60W is enough to support animals with higher light requirements like a clam? I pretty much never want to have to upgrade the lights but still want to skirt around as cheap as I can. >_>

 

[reeffreak]

Yes,plenty of light for a 15g.I recommend the 2:1 blue because most LED's with 1:1 looks too wishy-washy.