T5 HO for 20 gallon 24" tank

[yetti]

I am looking at purchasing a 24" 4x24w t5ho fixture, and I stumbled upon a Nova Extreme SLR fixture on sale. I was wondering what you guys think of this one and if it would be suitable for my tank (14" high)

Thanks

[hng]

Sounds like a good fixture, I think you'll be happy with it. I think it has the individual reflectors, but even if it doesn't, the tank is shallow enough that you'd still be OK.

[Loverotties]

Ditto! should be OK.

[yetti]

Great! Thanks for the help!

[OneDummHikk]

You would get more bang for your buck, and light for your dollar, if you find a light fixture with parabolic SLR (Single Lens Reflector). From the specs on Nova Extremes SLR's, the light fixture isn't large enough to have parabolic SLR's. From the pics, it looks like it has a single reflector but its more of a contoured reflector instead of a parabolic reflector.
A properly designed parabolic SLR will put almost twice as much (if not more) light into the tank than most flat reflectors will. Means you can run fewer bulbs and get the same light into the tank. Fewer bulbs means less electricity to buy each month.

Good luck with it.

[aquawolf]

I am running a Nova Extreme 4X39 watt fixture over my 40 gallon tank. It works great for soft corals and a couple of montipora caps.

Best of luck with your choice.

[hng]

Yes, T5 lights with individual reflectors will put out way more light than those without and it is a more efficient lighting system, but in this case, with a 14 inch deep tank, I would be careful not to overdo the lighting. Depending on the corals kept, it would be possible to have too much light. The you will have to raise the fixture higher above the tank, and that may not be possible or desirable.

[yetti]

Ok, thanks for the tips. I plan on going for soft corals and some LPS corals at the beggining, and maybe some SPS corals in the upper third of the tank. I was also looking at the Aquaticlife 24" fixture, which has basiclally the same features, but adds digital timers and moon lights. It also has the same SLR reflectors (not parabolic I think).

I'll let you know which one I go with. I hope to purchase it this
Weekend!

Cheers