lighting upgrade

[blueboy]

i'm considering upgrading my lighting, as it is time to replace bulbs anyway, so now would be the time. my question, MH or T5? i'm keeping mostly softies, with a few LPS(blasstos, caulastrea), i don't currently have much interest in SPS(no offense to you acro-fiends), but i am interested in possibly adding a tridacna clam. the array of options is a little baffling, magnetic ballast, or electric? would 2x250's be good?, i'm considering keeping 2 of my 96W PC's for actinic. i saw Turbobrett's 115 last week, it looked pretty good with just T5's. any suggestions will be appreciated

[blueboy]

oh yeah, this is for a 120(4x2x2), i noticed that the T5's seem to penetrate better than PC's

[Instar]

I'd go with MH definitely and suppliment with pc's and t-5's. You will like the results and color of the zoos, clams and the combinations you can get.

IAW the literature and tests I've seen: Electronic balasts are newer technology, cost more to buy and cost less to run. They don't get quite as hot either. They also increase the life of your bulbs some so the optimal spectrum lasts through your bulb changes. Its not that you can change bulbs less often, its just that the spectrum decays less during that time.

[blueboy]

i maybe displaying my ignorance here, but i don't imagine i'd be able to use my old Hamilton ballast from the PC's?

[Tim Marvin]

Also check with 360reef, he has started selling lighting and can help you out with information and equipment if interested.

[Tim Marvin]

I had bad luck with XM's.

[oceancube]

I used to have a 20k xm and it worked great for me, ive been wanting to try the new coralvue 14k bulbs now, maybe they wont give off toooo much blue, i love the blue but the xm seems to have alot of it,when i upgraded from pc to mh i can only say i will never go back to just having pc's by themself's!YOU WILL LOVE THE MH!

[blueboy]

also what are the benefits-draw-backs to mogul vs. double ended? thanks for all the advise/experience.