Lighting for 234 gallon mh or T5??

[Dalbery]

I'm buying a 234 gallon tank. It's 60x30x30 glass. It doesn't have any lights. I plan to have softies and fish-No sps. I am also anal when it comes to energy consumption. So with these specs which is the best way to go T5 or Halide? The guy I'm getting the tank from says he ran 3ea 250watt 10k mh fixtures over this tank and had good growth on his sps. This doesn't seem like enough wattage to me. How many watts will I need to meet my tanks needs?
Thanks in advance,
Darrell

 

[psb]

The sun puts out approximately 800 watts per square yard or 100 watts per square foot of surface area. ( Yes there are variables lattitude, etc. That is the number i round to in my head. That being said depending on the placement of the 3 250 mh. There are spots that received plenty of light to grow sps and areas that probably recieve to much "sun". Since softies require less light and some mushrooms will grow in very dim light. You could use significantly less light if you wanted to. Some softies require high light to do very well so if you pick your species well you could probably easily get by with 400 watts of t5. For low light requirement species. Just some ideas. You have to decide based on costs and equiptment on hand.

 

[Dalbery]

PSB,
I have no equipment on hand so to speak of as far as lighting. How long are T5 bulbs good for? I like the less heat generation.
Thanks.

 

[lvsuckerfish]

softies I would go t5's or even Leds depending on how deep your pockets are energy cost wise