Corals with PC

[browniebuck]

What types of coral could we do with 130W of PC in a 29 gallon tank (12" deep, 30" long, and 18" tall). I know that most say that the watts per gallon equation isn't very accurate to the needs of corals, anemones, clams, etc..., so, what COULD we do with this setup (compared with the MH I have been considering, less than half the cost).
Also, are there any clams (other than cleaner clams) that would do well in this tank (in terms of size, not lights...as that may be a deciding factor in which direction we go with the lights)

 

[ibew41]

any soft coral no clams or anems

 

[tinmanny]

all flowing in the curent type and all zoes and palies mushrooms
and you can find all colors of all
Ia

 

[browniebuck]

When you say "no clams or anemones" is that for lighting purposes or for tank size purposes? We haven't purchased lights as of yet and, all things considered, we would upgrade our lights to increase the possibilities for our tank. My wife would really love to get a clam for "her" tank.

 

[reefmate75]

i bet you could get a bubble tip anemone in there with your lighting as my pet store has a disply tank (34 gallon jbj nano) with 2X22 watt PCs and they have a large bubble (RBTA) thats been in there going on 2 years now
i would stay away from all SPS though, but i bet you would do ok with softies and LPS like frogspawns (torch, hammer, open brains)

 

[robn70]

Softies and leathers will be fine. I'm currently running 192 watt pc on my 38 gal. and my toadstool has grown in past month.

 

[ibew41]

The min for a anem is T5 with individual reflectors also T5 w/reflectors will keep clams in a shallow tank 20-18" deep

 

[nonphotosynt]

Personally, I like tube anemones, and they do not need light. The problem is to find the bright colored and small one. Also they will need a PVC tube with a finest sand to burrow in.
Clams - I'm keeping the young tridacnas, that rely more on feeding, then on photosynthesis, on the top, right under 110W PC plus direct sunlight (20g tank, 12" deep). There could be problems with clams, like their orientation to the flow, they don't like small particles, like cyclop-eeze in the water - starting to cough, cleaning the shell, bristle worms may bother them too.
Corals - at the bottom you can have Kenya tree, green star polyps, in the middle - LPS, like bright green candycane, frogspawn, hammer, hairy mushrooms (grow big - 6" diameter). At middle - to the top: brains, like scolymia, cynarina, lobophyllia (mind their size and that one big mouth is easier to feed, then several small), red mushrooms, white xenia, anthelia or their relatives, yellow polyps.
All of these I kept at slightly lower light, than you have (110W, 48" long, 24" deep tank, no additional light).