i was wondering if i can get some input on lighting.
what is the bare minimum lighting needed to keep corals and sponges alive. (ei wattages and types)
also what lights do you runs and tank size and all that.
thanks
coral lighting
7 posts
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jdak702 - Posts: 382
- Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:26 am
4 to 5 watts per gallon if florescent is what they say. Sponges live everywhere tho... I have 192 watt power compact on 46 gallons of water.
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fihsboy - Posts: 1837
- Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:20 pm
Personally I feel like it depends on the depth of your tank....Anything deeper then 12-14 inches your going to need T5HO or MH bulbs.....Anything over 22-24 inches deep need at least a 250 mh bulb to penetrate to the bottom. Depends on what you want to keep.....and I dont like the watts per gallon....I have 378 watts of light MH an T5HO over my 45 gallon....Thats 8.4 watts a gallon....BUT...My MH bulbs are 14K and dont offer the Par levels a 10K Ushio bulb would...therefor its not as much light. Sponges dont need much to live.....just a well established system. I personally would build a hood for your tank......and buy T5HO bulbs a pair at a time as you could afford it...It will cost you 130 from Hellolights.com for a pair of T5HO bulbs and it will give you decent lighting to start off with.....then you can upgrade to 4 bulbs in a few months.....then you can put 6 bulbs on.....which is more than enough unless your deeper than 24 inches.....:)
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chachi - Posts: 10
- Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2010 10:42 pm
the types of coral you select will also matter. some need very bright like SPS (small polyp stony) and some like lower light like mushrooms. you should first read on what corals and direction you want to go with your tank then select your lights.
with that, i use a 70 watt metal halide on both of my 10 gallon tanks mainly for medium light corals.
chachi
with that, i use a 70 watt metal halide on both of my 10 gallon tanks mainly for medium light corals.
chachi
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fihsboy - Posts: 1837
- Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:20 pm
Forgot to mention....I have mushrooms.....zoas........LPS........and SPS.....and everything is thriving like its on sterioids. :)
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newbie916 - Posts: 375
- Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 3:12 pm
It depends on what kind of corals you want to keep. I have 150watt MH with a 14k phoenix bulb on my 24 gallon and 2x150 MH with 20 Radiums and 2x96 watt actinic PC's on my 95 gallon. Some corals like a lot of light and some don't. SPS need the high light and LPS like acans want less light. Softee's could live under most lighting conditions, but make sure that you don't have too little light. 3 watts per gallon is the minimum to keep corals. SPS should have 5-8 watts.