Relay or Triac?

I'm planning on controlling some lighting for a frog tank using a microcontroller (probably 8051-based). To switch the 120V from the wall, I'm not positive if I should use a transistor and a relay or a Triac with an optoisolator. I do have more experience using transistors than Triacs (from EE labs), but I do like the fact that the Triac is purely electrical, so I don't have to worry about mechanical failure. However, I've been told that Triacs only work with purely resistive loads, and that fluorescent lights wouldn't work with them.

Any thoughts?

If You need just ON-OF control, the triac with a zerocross-type optotriac work fine. Most of FL not dimmable.

Sebi said:

If You need just ON-OF control, the triac with a zerocross-type optotriac work fine. Most of FL not dimmable.

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So FLs will work with a triac, as long as I'm not trying to dim the output?

fat-tony said:

So FLs will work with a triac, as long as I'm not trying to dim the output?

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Yes, as long as you are only using it as an on/off switch.