Lighting

[charjump]

i am setting up a 55 gal FOWLR tank and was wondering if this was enough light. I have two fluresant tubes for the lighting is this good enogh. I would also like to keep some low light poylups and mushrooms. my LFS said that I would need a better light for corals but could possably keep low lighted things with my regullar fluresant lights. My friend has a 90 gal and he has grown his own poylups on his live rock and he only has flursent lights. Any info appreciated.

[carsanfish]

At on time i hade a FOWLR 55 gallon and i hade a triple tube florescent light and it worked great. but i didnt have any plants in it so i wouldnt now about the low light plants.

[philliptobin]

I have a 125 g with fluorescent lights that I am trying to make into a reef tank. I have some polyps that are multiplying just fine. Most of the reading that I have done says that most polyps and some mushrooms can be kept in fluorescent tanks and are great for beginners.

[charjump]

Great thanks a bunch!

[iglowce]

yea fluorescent is good enuf.. cheap too

[Justin_James]

They would be good enough for some polyps and shrooms but thats about it.

[H20Boy]

I highly recommend that you look into buying a compact light. For around $100.00 you can get a 260 watt fixture you get 4 *65 watts that’s two actinic and two 10,000 k-daylight bulbs not to mention the fixture has two built in cooling fans & four blue lead's and if that’s not enough there are three independent cords -plug the daylight & actinic into individual wall timers phase the lights on and off sequentially I leave the LED'd on 24/7

This is exactly what I use and I grow it all including clams (thou I must place them high up in the tank) The one setback with compact lighting is that the bulb performance tapers off after 9 months ---they don’t fail/burn out they just fade if not for the fact that I have over a grand of coral in my 55 I would not replace the bulbs till they died.

Aside from the obvious cost advantage your live rock will really color up under 130 watts of actinic. check it out --I have seen this type of light go for 325.00 @LFS. http://cgi.ebay.com/AQUARIUM-LIGHT-48-JEBO-260-POWER-COMPACT-W-FANS-LEGS_W0QQitemZ250018628430QQihZ015QQcategoryZ46314 QQtcZphotoQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Dominuslive]

Did your friend have HO VHO or NO lights. I have had HQI mogul MH lights, best effects. PC lights, best growth, and VHO, best heat control. Just remember one thing, in the ocean lots of corals grow just fine in low light conditions. But the majority of the ones ppl talk about, or have are lagoon species which require the brightes of lights. The less light, the more food they need. The more light, the less food they need. But they still need fed every couple of days reguardless. But with NO lights, probably daily BTW just in case NO= Normal Output. Also some of the most colorful corals require really low light., But need fed 2x daily.

[iglowce]

i say go for the fluorescent first if u are on a low budget then u can always upgrade.. just dont overstock if u have low lighting

[Ophiuchus]

I've read the general rule for SW lighting is:

fish-only: 1-2 watts per gallon
soft corals: 3-4 wpg
stony corals: 4-6 wpg

[H20Boy]

I've read the general rule for SW lighting is:

fish-only: 1-2 watts per gallon
soft corals: 3-4 wpg
stony corals: 4-6 wpg

Soft corals 3-6wpg
Stony Coral 5-10 wpg
You can grow stony under low wpg it can be done, But you wont get the bright colors,

[Nic]

go for the compact flourecents or T5 ho i have used both and grown everything. go with 3-4 watts per gallon and compacts and T5s can penetrate 20 inches of water anything deeper needs halides