My ADA 60-F Iwagumi

[tizzite]

Thanks! I ended up getting a really healthy pot of HC at city pets. I used to go there for coral frags. I love that store.

I'm really hoping that the ADGShop is going to carry UG, because nobody really sells it except the ADA store in San Francisco, and they sell it for $16 a square, before shipping!

I was also wondering your opinion of lighting.

For saltwater I really like the look of t5 HO lighting.

I think you made a good choice with that 150W Metal Halide, especially since you got the ballast used.

Other than the shimmer effect and the pendant style lighting, does the metal halide offer any other benefit over a T5 HO? Have you noticed any differences in color?

I personally like pendant lighting too. So for me, would the Metal Halide 8000K Bulb be the ideal lighting for a planted tank?

[soymilk]

Let me jump in real quick, even though you addressed it to khoa.

I personally like mh better. It better represents daylight in my opinion. Another aspect to think about is cost. 4 t5 bulbs is gonna run you about 80 dollars. A decent mh bulb will cost you 50 bucks. Unless you wanna go on the far end and get a Ada "green" bulb. That'll cost you $100. But that Ada bulb is really something else, it's awesome. It makes everything really pop.

Mh gives you an awesome intensity you can't get with t5. Makes me wanna do a planted tank again....

[FlSHRFun]

Thanks! I ended up getting a really healthy pot of HC at city pets. I used to go there for coral frags. I love that store.

I'm really hoping that the ADGShop is going to carry UG, because nobody really sells it except the ADA store in San Francisco, and they sell it for $16 a square, before shipping!

I was also wondering your opinion of lighting.

For saltwater I really like the look of t5 HO lighting.

I think you made a good choice with that 150W Metal Halide, especially since you got the ballast used.

Other than the shimmer effect and the pendant style lighting, does the metal halide offer any other benefit over a T5 HO? Have you noticed any differences in color?

I personally like pendant lighting too. So for me, would the Metal Halide 8000K Bulb be the ideal lighting for a planted tank?

I'm sure whatever you need, ADG will do their best to get their hands on it for you. Just give them some time to get settled into their new store.

As for the lighting, I think the FishNeedIt (FNI) MH pendant is one of the most reasonably priced MH pendants on the market.
Even brand new, it's cheaper than most other brands. It's sleek, stylish, and pretty good construction.
On top of that, you don't have to buy a separate leg clamp or hanging kit. It all comes with it. Just make a bent conduit fixture.
The bulb that originally came with the FNI was 6700K. Since it was used, I swapped the bulb out for a new ADA 8000K "Green" bulb.
However, when you place your order with FNI, they give you an option of your temperature color.
FNI also offers 8000K MH bulbs. Although, FNI's bulbs don't have a spike in the green spectrum to bring out your plants' greenery.

I'm no plant scientist, but I'm almost certain a bulb's temperature (K) is not nearly as important is its intensity.
Plants can absorb various spectra of light, depending on their species. 6700K-8000K is a safe bet.

I chose to go with 8000K, because Takashi Amano of ADA uses 8000K bulbs on all of his planted aquariums... so I would assume 8000K would be a good choice.

Let me jump in real quick, even though you addressed it to khoa.

I personally like mh better. It better represents daylight in my opinion. Another aspect to think about is cost. 4 t5 bulbs is gonna run you about 80 dollars. A decent mh bulb will cost you 50 bucks. Unless you wanna go on the far end and get a Ada "green" bulb. That'll cost you $100. But that Ada bulb is really something else, it's awesome. It makes everything really pop.

Mh gives you an awesome intensity you can't get with t5. Makes me wanna do a planted tank again....

I agree with soymilk. The shimmer effect mimics natural daylight and a natural shallow environment along with an intensity unmatched by T5.
However, I think a MH pendant's primary drawback is its heat production. It sure can make my room warm in the summer.