lighting for live rock?

[ctenopoma]

Is flourcent lighting enought to keep the algae on live rocks alive and growing or would I need to buy somthing with a higher intensity?
also can you add only a little bit of live sand or is there a specific amount reccomended depending on tank size?

also would 35lbs of live rocks be a good amount for a 55 gallon?

 

[BIGgourami]

well a PC or T5 light would be much better for the algea on the rock, specifically the coralline.. but a normal output light should be good enough to keep some of it at least...


35 could work depending on the rock and the stocking of the tank.. is the rock more like pummice or like granite?
are you keeping alot of fish in hte tank?

 

[ctenopoma]

we'll I'm just planing to set up a 55g I have, I don't really know much about sw considering this will be my first sw aquarium,I want to have alot of live rock and a pretty deep sand bed and want to keep a few easy fish to start off with maybe a damsel/clown fish

 

[Sic_Maggot13]

power compact if you want to do a reef tank and t-5's will be great for a fish only or low budget reef. you know you dont have to use live rock for a fish only tank right? dont go cheap on the protien skimmer! anything else? haha

 

[Predator 1]

Very true, a good protien skimmer is a must. If you intend buying a cheeper model, then over rate the size, ie, 50 gal system = 100 gal Skimmer.
If you go upmarket, like Deltec, there is no need to over rate.
I use Live rock in my Predator system, and the Coraline Algae is flourishing under four T5's. ( two actincs, two marine whites)

 

[ctenopoma]

power compact if you want to do a reef tank and t-5's will be great for a fish only or low budget reef. you know you dont have to use live rock for a fish only tank right? dont go cheap on the protien skimmer! anything else? haha

I just really like the way it looks i think I'm gunna start with fish and live rock and uprade to reef in the future

 

[BIGgourami]

so you're keeping reef safe fish or setting up a new tank? lol

 

[ctenopoma]

I'm going to keep reef safe fish incase a coral hitchhikes n the live rock
I'm really want a mandarin/dragonet are they reef safe?

 

[Reefscape]

I'm going to keep reef safe fish incase a coral hitchhikes n the live rock
I'm really want a mandarin/dragonet are they reef safe?

Yes, very reef safe...However, i would not add one to a tank for at least 8 months. This will give the copepods time to colonise in the tank...