Lighting upgrade

[urban_hippie]

All,

Am going ot upgrade my 4x T5 luminaire i bought 2 months ago to MH,( iKnow i should have splashed out on those first).

Questions:
My tank is 36x18x18 (91.5x46x46) what wattage should i go for? I have seen 150w and 250w.
Do i need just one lamp or 2?
And what K lamps are advised at the mo? Keeping fish, softies and LPS Maybe sps in the future?
I want actinics built in, what models are advisable and fairly easy to pick up second hand (Am a student and am therefore, perpetually skint!)
Does any one have a suitable spare one they want to get rid of?

Cheers in advance.

[Reef bloke]

Personally id go for a single 250 watt halide.Arcadia do one with actinics.You could go for a lowbay unit and save loads of dosh if looks aren't a priority then slap a T8 actinic over the tank.Most peeps go for 14k at the mo and Arcadia 14k or a BLV 14k lamp would fit the bill.
The T5 luminaire may well be enough for your size tank unless you want the glitter lines of metal halide.

[urban_hippie]

Personally id go for a single 250 watt halide.Arcadia do one with actinics.You could go for a lowbay unit and save loads of dosh if looks aren't a priority then slap a T8 actinic over the tank.Most peeps go for 14k at the mo and Arcadia 14k or a BLV 14k lamp would fit the bill.
The T5 luminaire may well be enough for your size tank unless you want the glitter lines of metal halide.

Cheers RB, The problem with the luminaire is that the actinics do'nt give as good a colour as dsome of the guys on here with MH / actinics combo, i am just using the standard arcadia tubes that acame with it are they known for not being as good as others? vAlso will sps and lps be ok under my 4 39w T5 tubes?

Cheers