Please help me decide on new tank and lighting

[Urchinhead]

I have come into a bit of cash recently that I have to dedicate for a aquarium. The poll questions say it all. I plan on a 36" long x 20" wide x 20" tall 60 gallon breeder style tank made by Lee Mar.

 

My LFS price for a stock tank from them with rims is $339 custom made. And its $549 without rims. For starfire glass on the one with rim's its $100 more. For Starfire glass on the rimless its $200 more.

 

I am also wondering what to do about lights. Do I go with the 36" 6 x 39watt ATI powermodule or two 250w Icecap MH's? The idea being to only have rock up to about the 2/3's mark on the tank and with SPS on the top of the bottom 1/2 portion and up with Crocea and Maxima clams on the bottom 1/4 to 1/2 zone.

 

Thank you for the time and help.

 

UH

[redfishsc]

I'd just use the starfire on the front and go with a "rim" and save the money.

 

 

Now, that being said, your light options are NOT equal by any stretch. There's no way that 6X39" of T5 will compete with 500 watts of MH. I still voted for the T5's, but ONLY if you go with parabolic reflectors like on a TEK light. You could probably use 150's, use 10,000K bulbs for good growth, and still save some cash to put a couple of actinic T5's over it to get the nice blue look.

[Urchinhead]

Thank you Redfishsc.

 

The T5's are the ATI's which are the best of the best out there right now and even better than the TEK's.

 

I am doing this as a business expense btw which is why I am able to spend the insane amounts of money I wouldn't otherwise spend.

[Irushin]

I don't know about star fire. Sounds like folks with 20/80 vision insisting on 1080p over 1080i.

[Urchinhead]

I don't know about star fire. Sounds like folks with 20/80 vision insisting on 1080p over 1080i.

 

Cheers. Never saw it so don't know what makes it so special.

[Phixion]

Cheers. Never saw it so don't know what makes it so special.

 

the clarity for one, but the glass I believe is lower lead content (which makes it clearer) but I also think that it's stronger than standard AGA glass?

 

I voted rimless, SF glass all around and T5 lights.

[121a]

actually it is lower iron, not lead. starfire, 3 sides, the lighing is your choice.

[Phixion]

actually it is lower iron, not lead. starfire, 3 sides, the lighing is your choice.

 

That's right, thanks! It was one of them metals, lol!