Need lighting advice! Fun with retrofitting!!

[childress5tyler]

Looking for some advice on lighting! Here are the details:


I’m starting up a 28 gallon Deep Blue rimless SPS only reef and am having some issues with lighting options. One thing is for sure and that is my main lighting source will be the AI Hydra 26HD; I love the controlling capabilities of this light, the size, and the power this light offers.


With that being said, my tank is 20Lx20Wx16H and I’m planning to build a hanging canopy if I can solve this issue (if I can’t, I’ll just buy the AI Hydra mounting arm and not do the hanging canopy). I’m trying to find a way to mount 4x T5s bulbs in the hanging canopy. I really loved these retrofit kits from BRS but these are too long (http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/hamilton-aruba-sun-v-series-t5-ho-fluorescent-retrofit.html). Does anybody know of any smaller 18” T5 retrofit kits out there that would work for a tank this size? I would rather not have a 24x24 hanging canopy over a 20x20 aquarium). I’m open to any other options that one can think of, also.

 

[mcarroll]

One thing is for sure and that is my main lighting source will be the AI Hydra 26HD; I love the controlling capabilities of this light, the size, and the power this light offers.

I was a little confused cuz this sounds like you're using LED's.

But then you're talking about T5's too.

For 28 gallon why are you doing both? Sounds like you probably appreciate the T5 light a lot more than the LEDs...

 

[childress5tyler]

I'm for sure doing the AI Hydra 26HD and wanted to supplement with 4x T5 super actinic bulbs to run roughly 4 hours in the peak of the day.

No, the LEDs are a certainty, the T5 bulbs are an add on, if possible.

 

[mcarroll]

One or the other is sufficient for most folks/tanks. Why both?

Just curious if there's a reason/plan behind it. It's certainly OK with me if there's not....but I'm mostly just curious if there is.

Sometime these hybrid systems seem to get built for no apparent reason. They're the most expensive option to light a tank with and each system kinda dillutes the advantages of the other when used together. Plus, LED's can be designed so their light looks less like a halide spotlight and more like T5 light – if that's the issue with your LED's.

So given the first statement, I always end up wondering "why?".