new tank lighting question

[beano]

hey, thanks alot for all previous posts. ive gotten lots of help and info just from reading the archives.

i have a 30g tank that is going along nicely and im getting ready to stock fish in a few weeks. i am trying to plan ahead and budget money to get a lighting system a little down the road. i am not going to start with corals (although a purple mushroom hitched with some liverock) but want to leave the option open. i know i want t5 and ive heard a lot of talk about nova pros, but i found another product nova sundial that seems more convenient with built in timers and one power cord, at 156w with IR it seems like a logical choice for me but as it doesnt get a loit of mention around here im wondering if ive missed something that makes it a bad choice. also, i work at a petstore where i can get a glo t5 but only 78w dont think its enough. any advice?

 

[hibye]

If I were you i wouldnt go with anything other than t6.t5. or pcs. I have pcs and have shrooms,lps corals,and other soft corals. If you choose metal halides u end up buying a expensive chiller and it is more expensive but can keep any thing,t5s/t6s keep some anemones and hard corals and all softies or lps,Pcs all softies and lps maybe hard corals or anemone on how many watts per gallon.Here is the cheapest site i have bought t5s from them and love them.http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu.TIu.../EXP=1217531208/**http://www.aquatraders.com/

 

[yote]

I've not heard of the Nova Sundials.Do you have a link?
The only problem I see with having one cord and biult in timers,is I dont know you'll be able to run the actinics seperate from the 10,000Ks.But as a whole,Novas are great fixtures.And 156 watts of T-5s over a 30 would pretty well make your coral selection unlimited.

 

[Bifferwine]

You're right, 78 watts over a 30 gallon tank would not be enough.

Don't get T6s, replacement bulbs are impossible to find.

Stick with T5s. You can get the best deals online (most general pet stores do not sell equipment suitable for reef tanks).

I looked up the Sundial, and it looks like a good light. I don't know why it's different from the other Novas, but it looks good.

 

[reeffreak]

The Sundials are basically the Nova Extremes with built in timers.Both of them don't have individual reflectors like the Nova Pro(which also uses 6 bulbs instead of four).

Stay with a T5-HO fixtures like the ones I mentioned,not the normal outputs T5 you were referring to earlier.