Light help pleeaassee!!

[Fishnbirds]

Ok i am losing my mind over trying to decide on lighting. I read T5's get the best growth, then read Leds get great growth, then metal halide then use one and another to supplement...then there are 50 different kinds and of course everyone has their opinion. I decide on one thing and then find bad reviews or decide on something and find one that is supposed to work just as well for half the money. I am so confused at this point i dont know what to get. I just want a light that is going to give me what i need for a mixed reef tank 48" x 24" x 24" deep without breaking the bank and would love to find a led that would do this as they are my favorite but open to anything at this point!

 

[TheEngineer]

What's your budget?

 

[Fishnbirds]

It is $500 and that is pushing it and that is a large part of the problem because the tried and true are way more expensive than that and i want to get the right one because i certainly cant afford to buy the wrong set up just to find out it isnt enough. I was planning on getting 2 of the chinese black boxes so the budget was way lower but then started see all the options in not just those but others as well and the more researching i did the more i realized that it would have to be higher to get something at least decent. I would like to have it controllable..wifi would be great but the only way that will happen is with the chinese black boxes which is fine if someone using them can say they will do the job..but controllable with a controller is fine as well. I have been looking at the aquaray but am trying to figure out if i can get what i need in that price range or even if leds is a good choice over t5s with supplement or something else....so confusing...to me anyway...its unreal...i wish i had the budget to get the higher end stuff but i dont and as i said, cant afford to get something only to find out its not a good enough set up.

 

[Kershaw]

Look up ocean revive. A lfs I get my coral from uses them in whole store. And he was a die hard MH guy. They are cheap look great and work very well I have seen the coral in his farming display tank grow very well. I swear that every 3 weeks you can see his acros getting bigger. They are cheap enough you can save up try something later if you don't like them. He sells the non controllable ones for 150

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yea the interwebs are great for info arent they?
If it helps Im looking at the sbreeflights. @SB Reef Lights . close to the same $$ as the chinese and promise a better spectrum and equal intensity.(also made in USA w warranty and a member of the forums here) well reviewed. Also keeping 2 t5 retrokit to add spectrum on a timer for two or four hours at peak.
Reefbright led is pretty close $$ too.
Not sure how Ill fit the SB's on my other tank tank keep the the Halide yet though.