I dont have a camera... however i can see if i can borrow my friends cam next week and I will take pics of the lighting swap. First thing i gotta do is get ready to gut the old stuff out of my canopy. and rewire it above the sump. I havent got a tracking number for my lights yet they probably wont ship until tomorrow so I should have them by next wed. afternoon. once i get the lights i will wait for my timer to shut my lighting off and i will do the change that as not to disturb the photo period.

__________________
If its not broke dont fix it!!! If its broke save yourself the time and buy a new one!!!

A few hours give or take won't hurt anything. Just look at it like this, the sun isn't out over the reef every day.

__________________
If It Is To Be It's Up To Me!!!
http://www.aquariumforum.com/vbgoogl...216796875&zoom

Lighting is a very personal thing, we all have different tastes and color preferences. Some like more blue, other more white or even the purple of actinics.
Myself, I love the shimmer effect of Metal Halides and the explosive growth they provide. I also still use T-12 VHO URI (now UVL) Super Actinics for supplementation but do not run them much since switching to a higher k MH bulb than the 10k I used to use. I have yet to jump on the T5 bandwagon even though they have come a long way in the last few years as far as coloration and variety.
In order to pick lighting you need to look at as many different combinations and systems as possible before making a choice. If shimmer is not a big deal T5 with good individual reflectors may be a good fit for you. If shimmer and fast growth are more what you are looking for then 2x 150, 175 or 250w MH with or without actinic supplementation would be my choice. MH bulbs in the 10k range need supplementation while those starting at 12k up to 20k may not depending on the particular bulb. I am using Reeflux 12k and they need only a slight amount of actinic so I rarely run the 2x140w VHO's and save on electricity unless I want to impress someone who has not seen the POP the VHO actinics provide. The new Coralvue 14k is supposed to be an awesome bulb as far as color, growth and PAR or power so will be my next choice.
T5 may be in my future but I'm not there yet, I love the shimmer the point source light of MH provides and there are too many bulbs I have not tried yet and may like.

Whatever you buy, you will need two MH for good coverage and individual reflectors for T5 is you go that route.

see thats to cool thing about diy... 5mm leds provide the shimmer effect too ;)... theres a guy on ebay who sells the 6500K 5mm LEDs prewired all you have to do is mount them into your canopy or a fixture. I bought 20 prewired leds for like 4 bucks and a buck or two for shipping from hong kong. lol. i may purchase another kit from them in blue and use those as moonies.

__________________
If its not broke dont fix it!!! If its broke save yourself the time and buy a new one!!!

mmm always wonder about 15's to vho's. We have a 220 reef tank with 3x 400 watt m/h and 4x 4-foot t-5's ... We are going to swap them for 4 vho's and see what happens.

__________________
what ever works for you is the way to go!!!!!!!!!

let me know on how this turns out for you ;) so remember me after you fill it with the vho's and fill me in on the ups and downs.

__________________
If its not broke dont fix it!!! If its broke save yourself the time and buy a new one!!!

After you take them off don't move to fare away from the tank.

__________________
If It Is To Be It's Up To Me!!!
http://www.aquariumforum.com/vbgoogl...216796875&zoom

your way of saying "you are just going to put the t5s back in."

__________________
If its not broke dont fix it!!! If its broke save yourself the time and buy a new one!!!

lighting is so... its so opinionated... I wish it was as easy as this is ok, this is good, this is better, and this is the best... but its so subjective to what you have in the tank and looks and all that... i just wish it was a lot cheaper as we would be more willing to test everything out for ourselves and see how the different bulbs work.

__________________
If its not broke dont fix it!!! If its broke save yourself the time and buy a new one!!!

That it.

__________________
If It Is To Be It's Up To Me!!!
http://www.aquariumforum.com/vbgoogl...216796875&zoom

There isn't a T5 bulb on the market that matches the coloration and sheer pop of UVL VHO Super Actinics. Thats a very very popular opinion shared by many, myself included. Not even UVLs T5 is the same.

we just need a pool of guys... i would honestly say in florida because that seems a popular area for the hobby to each set up a tank and let all of the guys mark down the pros and cons and have pictures and comments on the tank with the listing of their lighting equipment. i believe that this lighting subject is really iffy and since we all carry an opinion on them we have a favorite... kind of like my favorite coral is a Zoa, others may laugh at me because its not some ORA Acro or a Watermelon Tyree... lighting is too subjective to have a right or wrong. So i will try the T5s and if i dont like them i will use them for the growout tank and upgrade to whatevers necessary after christmas.

__________________
If its not broke dont fix it!!! If its broke save yourself the time and buy a new one!!!

however i am positive that one of the combinations of lighting is favor'ed by the corals and over a long period of time i am quite sure its noticable.

__________________
If its not broke dont fix it!!! If its broke save yourself the time and buy a new one!!!