4 or 6 T5's?

[Reefcraze_1]

I was looking at the sun supply 4 or 6 bulb fixtures. I have a 55 gallon 36x18x18 tank. I want to be able to keep a mixed reef but I'm not sure if i should get the 6 bulb because i think it'll burn the lps and the softies, but I want enough intensity to keep sps's and clams. The fixtures use 39w bulbs.

 

[BoomerD]

Since the tank is 18" wide, if were me, I wouldn't think of anything less than 6 bulbs, and would probably be using 8. T-5's shouldn't burn anything...but some lower-light loving corals may have to be shaded...maybe under a rock overhang or on the very bottom of the tank.

 

[panmanmatt]

I'm running the Tek 4x39w fixture on my 18 wide softie/lps reef. All the corals are doing great. I had some sps in the tank that showed great color and PE, however I have so many leathers now that the chemical warfare wasn't a good thing for the SPS so they have been removed.

The 4 bulb works great with the center overflow, I keep the lights slid forward in front of the overflow to minimize the amount of light that gets into it.

 

[AQTCJAK]

I would agree with BoomerD 6 has my vote