Lighting Advice! Please.

[PRC]

I'm still cycling my tank, (90g 48Wx24"H) I have the opportunity to purchase this light, which seems like a good deal.

Coralife Aqualight Pro Metal Halide Aquarium Light Fixture, 2X150W HQI & 2X96W Compact Fluorescents, 48 inch

But, being a newb, I know ZERO about the proper lighting, so here's my question. It looks like this light retails for approx. $700. It has (2)Metal Halide bulbs 150w 10k, (2) Actinic compacts 96w, and (4) blue moon lights. I can by it for $250. The seller says that I'll need new bulbs in about 2 months. The bulbs look like they are about $50 and $15 respectively.

Since I don't know what types of corals I want to go with at this point, would this be a good light for me? I don't want to find myself in a position of getting into corals and then needing a new light. I'm certainly not going to get any difficult corals to take care of immediately while I'm still learning, but again don't want to have to purchase twice, but I also won't spend $900 for a light...

The light comes with 10k bulbs, but you can use 14k, or even 20k bulbs...What's the difference? Thanks for the advice

 

[Hiker4twenty]

For $250 that's a steal! It's plenty of light for your tank to keep whatever you want. It's 5.46 watts per gallon. Replacing the bulbs is a normal thing so you'd have to do it eventually anyway. Go to reefgeek.com for the bulbs. The difference is 10k, 14k, 20k bulbs is the color temp the light burns at. 10k will be more white, 14k will have a hint of blue and the 20k will be lots of blue w/ a hint of purple. With the (2) 96w PC's your shouldn't need to go with more than a 14k bulb because the tank will be super blue looking.

 

[PRC]

Great! I appreciate the help. So in a nutshell. Buy the light and when I get new bulbs change the 10k to 14k for a nice blue tint.

 

[Hiker4twenty]

That will work just fine for your. My brother upgraded from a 10K MH to a 14K MH and it really made the colors on his corals stand out.

 

[mng777777]

Dave's got ya covered

 

[Bifferwine]

Those would be great lights for a 90 gallon tank. You could keep anything you want under those.

 

[PRC]

Thanks everybody. I'll pick them up tomorrow evening and post pics onto my build thread.