# MH/T5HO vs MH/CF Light Comparison



## lukehouse356 (Aug 24, 2010)

I have a 125 gallon tank that i want to use as a salt water reef set up. I have been doing lots of research, and i know that for a successful reef setup i need powerful lighting. I have found two different lights that meet the requirement however i would like to see what you guys think would be a better choice. Both of these lights are relatively close as far as cost goes, however they both have their pros and cons. These are the links to the lights... http://cgi.ebay.com/72-Metal-Halide...557?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5581d30d http://cgi.ebay.com/72-Metal-Halide...665?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f5d6f499 Both of these lights have three 250 14k MH bulbs in them as well as a set of LED "moon lights", however the more expensive light has 4 54W T5HO lights and the cheaper has 4 96w power compact fluorecent bulbs. However the more expensive light does not have any form of cooling fan as far as i can tell. While the other does. I was wondering if you could look over these two lights and tell me which one you think is the best choice. Thanks


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

Take the cheaper one. Yes, its cheaper, and from what I've read on this forum and in books, There isn't much of a difference in PC and T5-HO. Plus, the cheaper one has built in fans, which is always good. If I recall, Pet Freak knows a good deal about this


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## Prez1 (Aug 26, 2010)

Just FYI, the second light looks a lot like the Odyssea that Aquatraders sells for a bit less (although they are currently out of stock).

LINK -- _look at the other views of the fixture and compare_


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## CollegeReefer (Sep 1, 2006)

Not sure if you already bought your light but here is my two cents.

I know that cheap lights are attractive but as the old saying goes “you get what you pay for.” Some try to make lighting out to be simple as figuring how many watts you need per gallon but there is so much more going on. What type of reflector is being use, what is it made of, what kind of bulbs, what ballast, is there active cooling, and so on. My advice for anyone is to always research before buying. Look for reviews of these products and see what others are saying. I also would advise you to not buy lights from Ebay but instead buy from a retailer that will stand behind the product. 

With that said, what are you planning on keeping? Is your tank going to be softies, lps, sps, or mixed? 

Zachary


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Odyssea is crap. Period. Utter fail. Seriously.


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