Halides over a new tank? WWYD?

[BOMPH]

I am setting up a tank sometime in the next few weeks, depends on when the tax return gets here, how long my orders take to ship, etc.... God bless Uncle Sam, you;re only good to me in march or april.....

I have the resources to get a MH/VHO setup, but am concerned that in the beginning it might be 'too much'. I would like the corraline to get moving right away. I dont want to encourage the algae blooms either.

I was looking at one of those CSL 2x96wPC + 3 moonlight jobbers at marine depot for ~$240. I could have a MH/VHO setup for a bit more. It seems like a waste to go with the PC's, cuz at the same time, i know Im gonna go MH/VHO eventually, so why bother?

BUt at the same time, I have done this before, I know what the first couple of months are like with a new reef, and i think that I wouldn't want that much light up there to start. But I know I want it.

I could just simply buy a cheap NO 2x30w setup from the LFS to start for less than 70bucks, but then again, why waste 70 bucks....Thats a first fish and a first coral....


So, if you were in my position, would you go with the
1) 250w MH + 2x75w VHO
2) 2x96PC + 3 Moonlight CSL hood that will get replaced?
3) Crappy NO that will get replaced

I guess with the MH's i could only run the light for a few hours a day at first... I dunno, im torn between the 2.

FWIW, I am lighting a 16in deep tank. The initail inhabitants will be LPS and softies, and then, after the tank matures a bit, SPS and T. Clams......

 

[vair]

With out a doubt the 250 root! Every one in this money pit hobby upgades... do it now. You'll be happy and it's not too much, things will be better MH is the way to go. I wish I was told that by my LFS back then,however they would not have seen all the upgade cash if they did that!

Dave

 

[Dubge]

Get the MH/VHO
You can always just run the 2 VHOs at first, 1 actinic and 1 bulb of choice and then when you are ready switch the bulbs in the VHOs to actinics and start using the MHs when you are ready
IMO that is what I would do. I thought I would be happy with just PCs at first and shortly after I started wanting stuff I needed MHs for so I made the switch.

Ray