Lighting for reef tank--dark background good or bad

[wooden_reefer]

I have been away from the hobby for about 8 or 9 years. I am just getting back to saltwater tanks.

The first candidate is 72x18Wx24H AGA.

I notice that now eletronic ballasts (vs magentic ones) for metal halide have become much more affordable. Are they much more energy efficient than magnetic ones?

What are the more up-to-date options for lighting in reef tanks? Is VHO flourescence better now?

My preliminary plan is to have two 175W MH.

Actually, I have another tank whose dimension I think may be better as a reef tank. It is wider and shorter and so perhaps the light would be more evenly spread out with less waste. This one is 60x24x24 close to 150 gal. It is a homemade plywood tank that has lasted about 10 years with fish only without any problem, no leak no dead fish. It is very solid and I trust it. It has been dry for the past five years though.

I have colored it too dark for a fish only tank although since it is so dark there is very much depth effect. I put much black pigment in the epoxy; I wanted the depth effect but has overdone it for a fish only tank. This tank has plywood sizes as well as back, all dark, so light comes in only from the top and from the front. With intense light this may well be a very good tank for reef, counter-intuitively but correctly perhaps. But then again another consideration may be that there is virtually no reflective light. The light directly from the bulb is it.

Is a tank with very dark background a plus in terms of appearance for reef because of the intense light and depth effect? What do you think?

I can alternatively put a new layer of lighter color epoxy, perhaps.

Thanks for your input.

[blot60]

Most reef tanks have black backgrounds. Some have blue. Reef tanks that are built into walls have all three sides painted with just the front clear. Black backgrounds really make the corals
(POP) IMO. If you let the coraline algea grow on the back, it wont really matter what color it is.

As far as lighting goes It seems to be MH vs T5ho. Big debates in the lighting forums. Not too sure about the magnetic ballasts.

[mm949]

once u go black u never go back....all the goods things grow in the dark....i prefer MH/VHO combo.....electronic do use less juice

love the new solaris lights.....would buy one if i setup another tank....yeah like i need another one

[wooden_reefer]

So you vote yes for dark background?

Do you think metal halide is particularly suitable in a dark tank, as the localized intensity gives it a good effect?

Or the more uniform intensity of the T5 better for a dark background?