To Canopy or Not to Canopy, that is the question...

[davenia7]

gonna be a 20L. The corals are zoas, mushrooms, GSP, Yellow Colony Polyp, a hammer, and a chili.

Currently I have a Coralife Quatt 96W on my 10gal. but the bulbs lose spectrum after like 6 months, so I want something else.

I've been looking at going to T-5 HO's 4-24W setups with half 10K and half Actinic.
So, I'm comparing retrofits into a canopy verses all in one set ups.
I like the open top look and the fact that I don't fight heat, but if I gotta canopy, I could get a firefish or a bassellet, which I love and I wouldn't have to fight the dust and dog hair in the tank clogging intakes that I fight with the open top.

So, what would you do?

 

[TimSchmidt]

T5s don't put off that much heat. I run 6 four foot bulbs and they don't affect my heat at all on my 90 gallon.

 

[davenia7]

So, would you go with a fixture or DIY a canopy, etc...

 

[TimSchmidt]

Appears that you like the pendant look so why not see if a MH pendant is in your price range? I love the shimmer MH gives, but my fish is a jumper so I have T5s in a canopy.