VHO vs PC vs T5 vs MHs under ~$300

[Mekong]

I am trying to decide what to upgrade my light to, currently I have a 4x65watt PC 48” Aqualight. My tank is 80 gallons and about 22” from light to sand bed, I plan on keeping just soft corals, zoos and mushrooms. I have been considering a number of the fallowing:

1. For around 200$ I can get another 4x65watt PC Aualight

2. For about 240$ I can upgrade to 440watt VHO and use the Aqualight I already have for a fuge.

3. T5s seem to expensive for their light output.

4. I think MHs would be well over $300

So far it seems that MHs are the best lighting around for the price.

What do people here think, I am a newbie to salt…

[patsfan1130]

I am trying to decide what to upgrade my light to, currently I have a 4x65watt PC 48” Aqualight. My tank is 80 gallons and about 22” from light to sand bed, I plan on keeping just soft corals, zoos and mushrooms. I have been considering a number of the fallowing:

1. For around 200$ I can get another 4x65watt PC Aualight

2. For about 240$ I can upgrade to 440watt VHO and use the Aqualight I already have for a fuge.

3. T5s seem to expensive for their light output.

4. I think MHs would be well over $300

So far it seems that MHs are the best lighting around for the price.

What do people here think, I am a newbie to salt…

I dont think you need to upgrade if your planning on keeping softies,zoos & shrooms only. your current setup will do just nicely. I have that same fixture on my 75g and I am very happy with it (for what I have in there...same as what you plan to keep)

Mark

[Mekong]

When I first got my zoos one colony was green and orange and the other was blue, they now have both faded to more of a brown color, they still open all the way and have been growing, they just lost some color. Would upgrading the lighting increase their color and growth rate?