Hey everyone I am currently looking at buying a 72 gallon 48x18x21 or a 65 gallon 48x18x17 I am wondering what I should use for lighting on it. I am looking to keep mostly soft corals mushrooms and maybe a few lps. I was thinking about going T5. If anyone has some good advice on whether to use that or how many bulbs or anything it would greatly help me out thanks.

Wow the million dollar question!

For what your keeping I'd go with T-5's. I ran PC's on my 72 bow for a long while with great results but switched to 2x250 Metal halides to prep for the next tank... I've since had to reorganize a lot of my LPS to get them away from the light. T5's are much more cost effective when it comes to bulb replacements than PC's naturally. You could go metal halide if you wanted to keep SPS or clams (or some of the high light LPS) in the future and follow the herd but given the size of T-5's if you started there you could always add more or add a MH pendant into the mix down the road.

Oh and with the lighting question comes the fair warning... get ready for a million points of view he he! Use what you can afford and what you know can support your livestock. If it works for you keep doing it... that'd be my montra

I would say just buy MH lights, you will want them eventually. I got mine off ebay. I would suggest this store for quality cheap MH equipment: eBay Store - High Tech Garden Supply: 400 watt Grow Lights, Light Bulbs Lamps, 1,000 watt Grow Lights (http://stores.ebay.com/High-Tech-Garden-Supply)
I got my 400w MH here and have found it wonderful!

for a tank that size if I went with t5s how many bulbs should I get and if I went with mh how many bulbs would I need also would I need to supplement with some actinic

1-2 MH lights, 2x250 would probably do or 400 watters if you want lots of sps corals eventually. You could also supplement with a few T5 actinics.

I am probably just going to keep softies and some mushrooms I have never used or now much about MH do you need to supplement with actinic or is it just a option

I think MH is way overkill for a tank you intend to keep shrooms/softies under. I have kept both of those happy with T5 setup which would also allow for some LPS and easier SPS in the upper regions of the tank. A four or six bulb unit or retro in a canopy would work well.

on the MH wattage look at the depth of the tank, if your no deeper than 26 then 400's is just plain going to cook it. (I warned you about the pandoras box of lighting questions) Go with a 6 bulb setup if you can on the T-5's, even if you avoid using two bulbs due to too much light. You also need to consider whether your going to run 54 or 96 watt bulbs, it's all in whats available, affordable and puts out the right amount of light. DIY retro kits are pretty inexpensive and you can always add bulbs later.

where would one find one of the DIY retro kits?

Thanks for all the advice guys its a huge help I am thinking a T5 is probably the way to go so I will probably go with a 6 bulb. This is probably a dumb question but do you need a canopy for a retro fit set up?

Depends on the type. The Sunlight Supply Tek retro comes complete in a nice aluminum housing that can be suspended or mounted over a tank. The bare bones version needs a way to mount the endcaps and ballast. What are you looking at?

Not to sure yet I was thinking about a whole set up like the nova series or something but if a retro kit is cheaper I will probably do that just don't know anything about them yet.

I agree with poppin that 4-6 T5s would work well for you. They also will not add much heat to your tank. With what you want to keep and the tank depths you are looking at, I don't see the need to go MH.

I have a 90g tank 48x18x24 with two 175 MH and 2 T5 actinic. That is definitely not high light but I keep the higer light need stuff in the top half of the tank and every thing seems fine. But even the 175W MH raise my temperature a couple degrees and that is with the hood open. In the summer I have to run the fans to keep the heat out of the canopy and cool the water with evaporation.

if I went with the mh would I need to supplement actinic or would just the mh work fine

the halide would be fine, but you might not like the color of the tank without actinics.

ok well I have finally decided to go with a 75 with overflow I oredered it yesterday. Its a all glass 48x18x21 I am thinking about going with the T5s thanks for all the advice you guys rock.

OK got my tank its a 75 gallon I am going to go with T5s I am looking for a already built fivture does nayone have any advice on which company or bulb number to go with I was looking at the current nova extreme pro any advice?

A fixture with individual reflectors for each bulb is best. This will get the maximum light out. I have a 24" nova extreme 2 T5 fixture that does not have individual reflectors (though still a decent fixture). Maybe the pro version does. I am guessing that it also has more bulbs.