appropriate lighting and what can it grow?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
A

aprime11b

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 21, 2011
316
1
0
Oregon to Florida
Hello, I am looking at buying a tank and it comes with a light, it is a 72 Inch Compact 4Lamp 6Lunar Light. 4 96w bulbs, so a total of almost 400w of light.

http://ozbo.com/Aquatic-Life-Llc-72-Inch-Compact-4Lamp-6Lunar-Light-Part-420052.html


It says its a 600 dollar light, so it must be good.

I dont wanna hear anything negative about the light and I should just get a halide or t5, I know about those and how much they cost. This light fixutre comes with this tank so I just wanted opinions on how good this is and what it can grow.

So questions:

1. is this okay lighting for a 155g tank, 25'' tall?

2. What SW soft/hard etc. can grow under this lighting?

Again, thank you for reading and your opinions.
 
1. For view lighting its perfect

2. Nothing but mushrooms

Basically with 150 gallons of water and that height your not going to grow anything. The Photosynthetically Active Radiation coming from that fixture is awful as well which is more important than wattage.

Not being negative about your light fixture, but to the idea of thinking corals will thrive with this. Buy a T5 or Halide. Corals are not for broke people. Can't have champagne taste on a beer budget bro.

Also - posting in the coral section would yield more answers as well.
 
Thanks for the reply. I know I use to have halides on my reef tank and it looks and work great but this is a free light fixture coming with the tank so I was curious to what it would grow.

So in short, any low light polyps/mushrooms?
 
I would stick to anything cheap in the sales section.

Now notice I said grow, what you can keep alive with the lighting that will totally be up to you testing your wallet.

I would start with mushrooms and polyps. Place them high up in the rocks and directly under the most concentrated portion of the tank.



Great list - not that you are new but I would bet my cash on those.
http://aquadaily.com/2008/12/05/eight-great-soft-corals-for-new-reefkeepers/
 
Not sure I agree - everything on that website is photosynthetic ( Ricordea, Xenia, Devils Hand, Kenya's, Zoa's, Stars,etc..). Photosynthetic meaning it has a symbiotic relationship with Zooxanthallae algae. PC's aren't gonna grow enuff of this to keep corals alive. With that being said you got options.

Non-Photosynthetic corals - Deepwater Gorganians, numerous varieties of Seafans, and LPS SunCorals.

Watts are watts no matter were they come from @ 400w in a 150 - your lookin' at approx 2 and 3/4 watts per gallon - Softies like mentioned on the above site need 3-4 watts per gallon, LPS 4-7 watts per gallon, SPS 7-9 watts per gallon. MH's can handle 7-9 watts per, T5HO's can do up to maybe 7 watts per, this is why reefers use these. LEDs can do all of the above but to give you idea 2x 400w pendants would run you over $2,000.
PC's can't handle the heat generated from that much energy produced by that many watts.
 
There is more to it than saying a watt is a watt. If that were the case then there wouldnt be $30 and $200 dollar reflectors for the same bulbs. As far as what soft corals to go with just start with low light stuff and see. You can always move stuff up higher if it wants more light

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