begining light

[queenangelRIP]

hey im just starting with corals and im wondering what would be the best light for a standard size 55 gallon that would fit a conventional hood so that i dont have to use the leg suport things

[charlie]

Your best bet looks like it's gonna be something that will retrofit. You are also going to have to figure out what you are going to start out with, as far as corals go.
Considering the list you put up on another thread, start looking at 250w halides, with some type of actinic supplementation.

[Poseidon]

Drop the conventional hood idea, and get a good light fixture. There are several T5 fixtures that you could use for most any LPS and softie, if you do enough bulbs T5 can be very good at even SPS and clams, like our "reeflections" feature this time.

[queenangelRIP]

see i have a deluxe series coral life but its to wide to allow it and the filters to be on at the same time

[The Grim Reefer]

Do a web search for a company called aquactinics (the spelling is correct). They make a 5 lamp T5 hood that is 9.5 x 48" and a halide hood that is 8.5x48". Either should leave enough room for for hang on tank items and allow you to raise about anything in a 55. He designs his fixtures to sit right on the tank without causing any heating problems. I know a couple guys from other boards who have gotten the halides and are very happy with the product.

If that is out of your budget range check out the Finnex 4x54 watt T5 from Premium Aquatics. That unit doesn't have individual reflectors for the lamps so you couldn't do clams or high light SPS unless they were on top of the rocks but it should be good for most LPS and softies. Later on you can upgrade that fixture with better lamps and sunlight supply retrofit reflectors if you decide you want clams and SPS.