Lighting: Which would you choose?

[fidojoe]

Ok, so I know I'v asked a gazillion times which is better, and which I should go with... I have decided that I want to give MH a chance again. Only problem is that there are a ton of choices available. Tank size is a standard 90g (24"h). Want softies, LPS, and MAYBE a clam.

I am looking for either a tank mount fixture or a pendant/pendants. I also know that I want 2x150w DE HQI. Pricewise I am looking for less than $550, and there are a few choices available for that. I am going to go with either 14k or 20k bulbs.

Here's what I've found~

Current USA Sunpod- 2x150w 14k Current USA bulbs, 16 lunar lights (8 blue/ 8 white) ~$500 shipped

Coralife Aqualight Advance- 2x150w 20k Coralife bulbs, no moonlights ~$525 shipped

2x AquaMedic AB pendants- 1x150w each AB 20k bulbs, no moonlights ~$520 shipped

I have had a 250w AquaMedic pendant before for my 29g, and it was decent. Only thing is that it wasn't cooled. The first two are.

So, which would you do

TIA

[Woodstock]

Ummm.... I would go 250 watt with your 24" deep tank and especially since you are going with a higher kelvin bulb which is more blue and has less PAR/intensity. You could get by with the 150 watt but I would be afraid to add a clam since they require very strong lighting.

[fidojoe]

Wow! You're quick!

2 things I see with that, though. 1) Everything is doing just fine under my 4x65w PC's. The bulbs are due to be replaced, and my SPS could color up a little, thats why I'm going w/ new lights. 2) Heat and electricty- The electric to run 500w of MH along with the electric needed to cool the room due to the high heat output would be rediculous. My room is hot as it is too.

Another option that I have kind of gotten away from now is T5. A 6x54w T5 setup could support a clam, I'm not quite sure why the 150w MH wouldn't either. I also tend to like the clams that are rock boring too, so that shouldn't be an issue. Besides, with my cleaner shrimp, I dunno if I can even have a clam (he ate one back in the 29g).

[Woodstock]

I am not certain about the energy consumption & heat generation differences between the 150 watt and the 250; hopefully, some one can chime in on that...

My only concern witht the 150's was a clam. Softies and most LPS will do fine with the 150's.

FYI... I have 2 cleaner shrimp and a fire shrimp in my 90 and they have never bothered my clam. I wonder why yours did...

[fidojoe]

May have been territory, or that the clam was in declining health from too much light. That tank was way small for the light I had over it. Plus, the timer was a low amp timer, and froze in the on position, so the lights were on for about 16-18 hrs one day. That kind of PO'ed everything, but the clam wouldn't open fully for a few days after.

As for heat, I went to an LFS, and a very knowlegable employee (one that the entire local community trusts) showed me with an infared laser thermometer. The temp difference between the single 250w cooled pendant, and the 2x150w coralife advance system had about a 60 deg. temp difference (coralife ran at 100 deg, the pendant ran at 160 deg). The coralife fixture is also not overdriven, it runs on electronic ballasts, as does the CUSA sunpod. The aquamedics are overdriven, and I know that the 250w used 290w. The aquamedic 150w I think are about 170w each.

Basically the 250w AquaMedic uses 10w less than a 2x150w setup.

[Woodstock]

Ahhh... okay. Wow! You already know the differences! Thanks for the info

[fidojoe]

I've done my research I just want to hear the opinion on which setup from the ones I narrowed it down to, and who better to ask than the people I learned it all from

[fidojoe]

BTW, I am also considering a setup w/ 2x150w in ROIII pendants, but I can't seem to find a full setup w/ PNP remote ballasts (preferably electronic) for less than $300 each. Thats even w/ piecing something together.

[fidojoe]

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?