Help T5 or Halide on 26 Bow?

[rama]

Hi everyone I am starting a 26 bow (24" width) and I am begining the process of choosing lighting. I am looking at two options:

-4x24 t5 HO Nova fixture
-Sunpod 150 watt HQI 14k bulb

I would like to keep both hard and soft corals. I am unfamiliar with T5's but have had much experience with halides. I like the shimmer, intensity, but don't want heat issues on this 26. Will the T5 allow me to keep some sps and maybe a clam? Or should I just stick with the halide?

Oh yeah if you have any links of comparisons that would be awesome. Thanks.

[cmomo0128]

I would go with t5. I have had good results using them with sps.

[rama]

Do you think 96 watts is sufficient? Or would I have to have 6x24 to compare with the 150 watt halide. With the fixture it ends up only being 3.7 watts a gallon. Is the wattage/gallon ratio different with T5 or is a watt a watt with whatever you use.

[GSMguy]

dont bother with the nove it is not worth it
get the sunpod or the 4x24 teklight
t5s need individual reflectors to harness their power they work great if you have these reflectors
the tek light would have more par than most 14k and 20k halide bulbs

[Henry Bowman]

get the sunpod or the 4x24 teklight

I agree

t5s need individual reflectors to harness their power they work great if you have these reflectors

More good advice !

[rama]

Thanks guys that helps a lot. I will probably go T5's and we'll see how it goes.