55 Gallon Lighting Question

[jfohn]

I have a 55 gallon saltwater aquarium with the standard fluorescent bulbs (eclipse Natural Daylight) What would be the best replacement for a tank with some soft corals, fish, invertebrates? The bulb size is 18"?
Thanks for the help

 

[viper_930]

You can't just replace the bulb, you have to buy a new fixture. For just soft corals you can use power compact lights, maybe cost you $100-200 for the lights depending on how many watt and where you buy. Coralife or Orbit makes great PC light fixtures. Any 36" (your tank is 36", right?) power compact fixture they make would be enough for softies, but the more light the more they thrive and reproduce.

 

[nemo74]

HI GUYS , I AM ALSO LOOKING FOR LIGHTING FOR A 55. BUT I CANNOT SPEND SO MUCH ON LIGHTING. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MH AND PC.i HEARD SOME PEOPLE ARE DOING GREAT WITH PC. ALSO DOESNT MH GIVE OFF ALOT OF HEAT. I LEAVE IN MIAMI AND I HAVE A HARD TIME KEEPING THE TEMP IN MY TANK COOL AS IT IS.ANYWAY LET ME KNOW HOW IT GOES FINDING THE LIGHTING YOU NEED.THANKS

 

[viper_930]

MH is much much more powerful than PC. Some people do great with just PC lighting because they just keep lower lighting corals like softies and LPS corals. If you want clams and SPS corals IMO you should go with MH, but you can do some montiporas with high-VHO lights.
MH lighting is really expensive, so if you don't have the money now, then you should just stick with softies and LPS corals with the PC lights. The SPS corals cost a lot too. 2 or 4x65 watt PC bulbs would be nice for a 55 gallon IMO.
BTW, turn off caps lock, a little hard on the eyes and it feels like you are yelling.

 

[alison]

Hi, viper's totally right on about lighting. Don't even try hard corals of any kind unless you've got high lighting in vho's or preferably mh's. I've lost more money in corals than if I had just bought the dang mh's in the first place

. I really do believe mh's are the ONLY way to go. I'm SOOOO kickin myself for not just doin that in the first place. Even my softies don't do so well, and I know it's the lighting 'cuz all my stats are perfect, and fishies are happy too. I just wish they'd make mh's more affordable. I'm still lookin for a good deal on mh's on ---- or used, since that's the only way I can afford it. Anyways, good luck,-ali:happyfish

 

[nemo74]

I feel you alison. want the best but dont have the cash. I wish there would be some company out ther that would remember people like us that cant afford these prices.anyway thanks to all for the advice and alison if you see any good deals online please keep me posted.i promise will do the same for u.