Metal Halide or T5HO?

[deondrec]

I will be setting up a 29 gallon and wanted to know what light would be better for growing high light plants. i know lighting is just one aspect.

Fish need it 70w metal halide
http://fishneedit.com/75w-metal-halide-pendant-ligh75.html
This would be hung from the ceiling. how much in temperature would this make my tank go up? will this be able to spread across the tank instead of casting a spotlight?

Fish need it 78w t5ho
http://fishneedit.com/t5ho-3ft--2lamp-aquarium-light.html

 

[stratusfearrr]

i'd go with the 2 t5's. I use a 4x39watt t5ho on my 46 bow for plants, and they thrive

 

[hydrophyte]

2X vote for the T5s.

 

[tanker]

MH lights are great for taller tank, but maybe too much heat, ect. for a small tank--- but it is "do-able". A 29gal tank is fairly tall, so a 75w MH maybe used.

BUT......I too would volt for the T5s.

 

[jpappy789]

T5HO's for me.

I'm currently using the 24" light from fishneedit.com and you get a pretty good fixture for the price.

 

[Conski]

lol unless your trying to grow LPS corals with MHS in a FW tank id go with the t5s man, save yourself alot of money

 

[7itanium]

T5s for sure

MH can be a pain, they are hot and they abuse power bills-- they are strictly for reef tanks as far as im concerned

I have never seen a planted tank (within reason) that couldnt have been done with T5s

 

[FISHSHROD]

t-5 's

I have a whole bunch of metal halides in my closets from the old days of reef on my 120 gal inthewall tank. I had to run a chiller hard on that tank. I am running a chiller on my 30 that has t-5's but it turns on then off in 5 minutes at 79 degrees. I can live with that. It's a 1/3 hp chiller so it's pretty good over kill for a 30 gal.

 

[67chevelle]

T5's all the way.

 

[deondrec]

ok thanks. i actually got results on this forum as opposed to the other forum i posted.