Lighting for a new tank

[jasonstan]

I'm planning my next tank out, and I'm unsure of the lighting or more specifically how strong the wattage should be for the MH's. What do you guys think. I have a year or so before this happens so plenty of time for planning.

The tank will be an AGA 48" x 24" x 12" and it will be a barebottom tank, I'm tired of my pistol and goby burying all my frags in the sand bed.

I was thinking 2 Metal Halides, both 70watt and 4 - 48" HO T5's 2 actinic 2 daylight to help with growth.

Would this be enough for sps, and lps both ? Or should I think about 150 watt MH's ? The tank is only 12" deep.

 

[schminksbro]

I have a 100 gallon 48" by 18" by 26". I run 2 250 watt Phoenix HQIs and 2 48" 54 watt t5s. I am going to add 2 more t5s to get more light in the tank. Currently I have workhorse ballasts which I am going to upgrade to an icecap. IMHO the 70w halide will not punch deep enough. I think you would be better off with the t5s overdriven but then you don't get glitter lines. I had a tank with the same dimensions as the one your planning with 4 workhorse driven t5s and they would only punch about 8" below the surface. Evidently you gotta overdrive them to make them worthwhile. In a nutshell I would go with 250 watt halides and fans to cool, with maybe 2 t5s for atinic supp.