Afraid to put in coral or anemone mushroom etc

femmeartist51

femmeartist51

Member
My tank has been up for over a year. Seems to be ok. Was thinking hard on putting in coral or any other pretty looking stuff. I did put in one bubble anemone. Hope that lives. I have a daylight coralife bulb. It isn't bright. I want to have the blue light and whatever lights are needed to grow coral or more colorful items in my tank.

So what is easy to keep alive, with not many problems. Thanks and let me know
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by femmeartist51 http:///t/396715/afraid-to-put-in-coral-or-anemone-mushroom-etc#post_3534693
My tank has been up for over a year. Seems to be ok. Was thinking hard on putting in coral or any other pretty looking stuff. I did put in one bubble anemone. Hope that lives. I have a daylight coralife bulb. It isn't bright. I want to have the blue light and whatever lights are needed to grow coral or more colorful items in my tank.

So what is easy to keep alive, with not many problems. Thanks and let me know

Hi, an anemone is a very light hungry critter, unless it's a nocturnal tube anemone. So I doubt your anemone is going to live, you should return it or get better lighting if you want to keep it.

Coral however, some need super lighting, and some need no light at all. None can tolerate high nitrates or phosphates. So you need to check your parameters to see where you stand. You will need good water flow on the surface to get the best gas exchange possible...no lids, the tank should be open. Not all fish are reef safe, so you need to do a little research to be certain everything in your fish only set up, can live in peace with your corals.

Then I suggest you get this book, it helped me so much...it tells you where to place the coral, what it eats, and how much light if any, it needs, and how hardy (easy) it is to keep alive.

here is an example page, click on it to see a larger picture.
 
femmeartist51

femmeartist51

Member
TYVM cool book, will get it. Thanks for the info. See I wasn't sure what to put in the tank, or just not put anything. Again thks
 
tthemadd1

tthemadd1

Active Member
Yep lighting is key to coral / anemones. This in addition to great water quality.
Anemones can be kept under less than ideal lighting but it sounds like your lighting is not to par.
You should invest in lighting before spending buckoo bucks on corals that will probably die off.
It's like growing plants under a single 60w bulb. Some may survive, most will die, but they will not thrive like in a window with proper lighting.
 
femmeartist51

femmeartist51

Member
Thank you all for the info. I know I need another light system. My local store, wow theirs are over $300 not including the bulbs. Thinking about looking on ebay. See what I can find. There are so many bulbs out there. I have a coralife one that is suppose to minic day light. Not that bright. That is the next item I need. I read no lids. I guess a new light that can hang over the tank, or is raised up higher than mine will be better. So off to find a good light. Any suggestions???
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by femmeartist51 http:///t/396715/afraid-to-put-in-coral-or-anemone-mushroom-etc#post_3534770
Thank you all for the info. I know I need another light system. My local store, wow theirs are over $300 not including the bulbs. Thinking about looking on ebay. See what I can find. There are so many bulbs out there. I have a coralife one that is suppose to minic day light. Not that bright. That is the next item I need. I read no lids. I guess a new light that can hang over the tank, or is raised up higher than mine will be better. So off to find a good light. Any suggestions???


Hi,

It isn't the bulb...it's the light unit that holds the right bulbs.

LEDs are the rage, but they are expensive. T5HOs are pretty reasonably priced, and you can keep corals, not anemones or the really light hungry corals such as SPS require. there are still plenty of corals that you can still get. Over $300.00 is the norm I'm afraid to inform you. Expect to pay around $450.00 to $600.00...the LEDs and Metal Halides (anemone lights) run up to $1000.00 and beyond.

T5HO has legs to over the tank lip or hang that suspend over your tank, as do LEDs and Metal Halides. Such lights are made for the open SW systems.

A good T5HO unit will have a glass separating the water from the light fixture for safety. For lighting or skimmers....I wouldn't go to eBay.
 
silverado61

silverado61

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by femmeartist51 http:///t/396715/afraid-to-put-in-coral-or-anemone-mushroom-etc#post_3534770
Thank you all for the info. I know I need another light system. My local store, wow theirs are over $300 not including the bulbs. Thinking about looking on ebay. See what I can find. There are so many bulbs out there. I have a coralife one that is suppose to minic day light. Not that bright. That is the next item I need. I read no lids. I guess a new light that can hang over the tank, or is raised up higher than mine will be better. So off to find a good light. Any suggestions???
I'm starting a build on a 4ft wide tank an I found a reef LED system with day/night controllers and storm affects with a remote for $230. Yes, LED'S are more expensive, but if they're good ones that are sealed from splash, they pretty much pay for themselves in the money you save from energy costs and not having to replace bulbs every 6mths.

IMHO
 
femmeartist51

femmeartist51

Member
Why not ebay. Seems some of those lights look great. Oh well there goes my ebay search lol. Where id you find the day/night n storm affest with remote for $230. I can use the LED system. Not a bad price. So go with LEDs. I am on a search for some now.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by femmeartist51 http:///t/396715/afraid-to-put-in-coral-or-anemone-mushroom-etc#post_3534954
Why not ebay. Seems some of those lights look great. Oh well there goes my ebay search lol. Where id you find the day/night n storm affest with remote for $230. I can use the LED system. Not a bad price. So go with LEDs. I am on a search for some now.

The LEDs offered on eBay are not reef lights (that I have found anyway) they are just little lights that last a while, and make good moonlights at best. I'm with you...where did Silverado get them for $230.00???? What a great price!
 
deejeff442

deejeff442

Active Member
i bought a 6 foot mh 3 250watters with compacts on ebay for $600.it lasted 4 years.not the best but it worked.just saying
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by deejeff442 http:///t/396715/afraid-to-put-in-coral-or-anemone-mushroom-etc#post_3534985
i bought a 6 foot mh 3 250watters with compacts on ebay for $600.it lasted 4 years.not the best but it worked.just saying


Hi,


I haven't found a usable skimmer from eBay. MHs are a little different then LEDs, that unit either works or not. What folks on eBay sell as LED lighting is for the most part, moonlights. I did find one person selling actual reef LED lighting. A beginner wouldn't know how to determine if the LED lighting being sold is what they need or want. I shop eBay all the time, but I know what I'm looking for.
 
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