Looking for lights for 72g future reef

[OceanLuv]

Hi everyone,
Like everyone else who is just starting up, I am very confused as far as lighting goes - probably will be confused on other aspects but am not there yet.
I got a 72 gal bow front, 48" wide, 20" tall, 12" deep tank that will eventually become a reef tank.
With the canopy I got a 48" twin tube (with bulbs that I can't use). Would I be able to use this ballast though with different bulbs? If so, I can only use 2 but would it help save some $$?
I was looking at the Lunar Aqualight features include: has (4) 3/4 watt lunar LED Blue-moon lamps, (2) 65 watt Actinic 03 lamp; (2) 10,000k daylight lamp. What does anyone know about starting out with this one? I do want to eventually have some anemones, once I have a little more experience - does that change things??
Thanks in advance!!

[charlie]

First off, welcome to Reefland
This is always tough , because the initial expenditure is always the toughest to do.
I assume that those are PC lites that you are looking at. In my experience, aneneomes always like bright lite, aka Metal Halide, but I know there are people who have success with them without MH. That being said, I personally would go with MH right off the bat, something like a 175w fixture with 2 lites and some actinic backups. Granted you are going to soend a little more, but you would be set up better for the future this way.
Like I said, this is only my opinion!!!!
Good luck

[ANGRY JOHN]

i would also recomend going with the mh right off the bat as that is a deep tank and it is harder to get good light to the bottom area if you had plans to say keep clams someday. i prefer the pendant type of light because i look down into my tank but if you would like to work with what you have now throw in a daylight and a blue and that will get you on the right track.

[Reefland]

Hi OceanLuv,

If you were interested in the Metal Halides, then you could scrap the anemone possibilities and go with what you found, although you would even be severely limited on coral options. A 4 bulb VHO set would expand your coral opens, although eliminate the possibility of SPS corals and clams.

[Steven Pro]

It really would be best to try to narrow down as specifically as possible what you want to keep. Talking in generalities always gets people into trouble. For instance, anemones, there is a world of difference between what a bubble tip needs as far as lighting goes and what a sebae needs. The same goes for other broad catagories such as SPS. Plating and digitate Montipora, Pocillopora damicornis, and Turbinaria reneformis are all considered SPS, but their lighting demands are significantly different than other SPS. Clams is another. Squamosa and derasa have rather mild light requirements when compared to maxima or crocea.