Need suggestions on lighting

[Strider199]

Heres the thing, on my 4 ft 55 gallon tank I have a full hood with a single T12 bulb. This hood wasn't bad when the tank was a tetra freshwater set-up. It is now being changed into a reef set-up and I know the lighting is weak. I want to upgrade to LED's due to the life of the bulbs and the reduced wattage usage.

I was by the lfs the other day (basically every other day I find myself there), and they have a new programmable system there which you can even program cloud cover into. It runs cool, has three different LED's (white, royal blue, and moonlights). The cost just about floored me. The unit is only some 12 inches square and my tank is 48 inches long, I cant afford a fixture at each end.
The Marineland LED's I have experience with just do not get down to the bottom of a 55 gallon tank as I found out when I was doing a planted freshwater set-up.
I have surfed the net looking for an adequate lighting system which wont cost more then my car. What are the members out there using and what would they recommend? That is my question. Thanks all.

[Cliff]

It all depends on what you want to keep.

For almost all anemones that coud fit in a 55 gallon, and SPS to softies, you have two options:
1) a 4 bulb T5HO with: one 10,000 to 12,000K white bulb, one fujij purple, and two super blue bulbs, 20,000 to 22,000K. This is your cheapest option (as you can find good deals on used) for very good lighting,.... or......
2) two AI SOLs. These are the LED units that I am currently using on both of my marine tanks. They are about the same demensions as you meantioned and fully programmable as well. Including the controller and mounting kit, you are looking at around $1,100.00. But that will give you the best quailty lighting for a med-price LED unit. You can't cheap out on LEDs if you want to have high demanding corals and/or anemones in the future.

Either way, you will need glass tops on your tank or go open top.

One of those two options are what I would use on a 55 gallon reef tank.

[Drumachine09]

If you are pretty handy, you can go to www.rapidled.com and build your own kit. If you can't solder they have a solderless kit there too. They are incredibly powerful LEDs and fairly inexpensive. Not the prettiest thing in the world, but they get the job done.

[Strider199]

Seems like there isn't a cheap way out. I checked out the rapidled site and it's still $475. to make my own led lighting. Well I do have a bonus coming shortly which I was going to save for hunting. Over time here I come. hehehe

[mizzoutank]

Have you explored Finnex LEDs?
I think they make a marine fixture.

I have one of the FW and I love it. really nice quality for the price.

[Strider199]

They do make marine fixtures. I just checked them out and for a 48 inch tank the combo t5 and led strip looks promising. Thanks mizzoutank for that option.