Lighting - Need to buy it, but can't!!

[tcampbell]

Well I need to buy lights for my tank as everything else is ready and waiting, problem is I can't decide.

Don't want to spend the money to buy the lighting and then end up needing to upgrade. Have done that before with my 90cm tank and it is hard to sell used equipment.

Tank specs:
61cm X 40 cm X 45cm(H)
ADA style soil
CO2 reactor
EI dosing

Which lights do I chose
1. T8 (2 X 20watts) and get two of them for 80 watts as they have great refelctors and balasts I would assume the high would be very high and i wouldn't need that much http://tw.f3.page.bid.yahoo.com/tw/a...?.r=1189151147

2. T5 (4 X 14) and get two of them for a total of 112watts possible though probably only use 5 or 6 tubes but would be there for future and it is T5 fso better light with less heat
http://tw.f2.page.bid.yahoo.com/tw/a...u=:sunjoro5200

3. T5 (4 X 24) and get one of them for 96 watts
http://tw.page.bid.yahoo.com/tw/auction/1148334351
though all the lighting would be on one light fixtures with one power cord so I would not be able to use a timer to do a mid day light burst but would have to do it myself manually

Main problem I see with T5 is that most lights I find to fit it are 10,000 K or 7500K and options are limited but t8 light bulb/tube options are more.

What is the main advantage of the T5?
LFS suggested I use PL and 2 X 36 watts, but I heard PL generate more heat and break down faser.


2. T5

[brianclaw]

Over a 2ft tank of those specs, option 3 would allow you the options of anything from a low to high light tank. Plus what you've said about mostly being able to get 10000K, or 7500K lights... Well, it's not really anything that's a problem. You can use 10000K and 7500K lights for a planted tank.
Option is a little much for your tank, I think.
Ever thought of metal halides?

[valice]

I am currently using 4x24W over a 2ft tank as well.
With 3 tubes having 6500K and 1 tube having 10000K. The 10000K makes the tank look brighter due to the cooler colour spectrum.

Advantage of T5 is the higher efficiency in amount of lumens put out per watt over the other options.

[tcampbell]

Do you agree that the reflectr has a lot to due with the quality and amount of light that gets into the tank?

Option one, uses a geman made honeycone Reflector which should provide 0 deadspots, and option 2 has a standard flat reflector. Does this make a difference? Woudl 80 watts in T8 with honeycone reflector be better then 112 watts with standard reflector in T5?

HQi is out due to temperature and unwillingness to buy a chilller which will just make my house hotter!! and my fish cooler.