Do I have bad lighting for an anemone?

[eelfreakrobi]

I just got two 18'' Coralife 50/50 lights in a 55-gal, can I keep an anemone in this like a bubble tip, I know I cant have some nice corals but is there a possibility I can get a colt coral or a leather coral or something else besides a polyp?. Im saving up for some good lighting, but what can you tell me from now.
P.S I do not know much about lighting.

 

[dcox88]

I have a colt in my 54 gal. I have 2 - 20 watt bulbs, 1 10K and 1 actinic. The colt has done quite well - it is large, branching and growing. Mine might be an aberation though.
I just picked up some custom sealife 18" power quads today the 2x96 watt set. That will give me 3.5 w/gal - much better than the current 0.4 w/gal.
My tank has shrooms, polyps, the colt, and a green open brain. They have all done well, but I think I would have to agree with Sammy and save some money on the corals and upgrade your lights first. The only reason I have the setup I do is because I bought it as a complete setup - that's what it came with. The first thing I have done is upgrade my lights.

 

[bdhough]

dude? how do you manage those? I'd be scared to add those corals to so little light....
BTW Eel shoot for 5 watts per gallon so around 250 watts of light.

 

[bdhough]

Im a little confused. Lets say i had a 1 gallon tank. I have 5 watts of lights on it. The watts per gallon rule says i could have corals yet 5 watts can't be enough by a long shot. More like you need 50 watts.... I would think corals need a minimum wattage of light to grow under, like plants....I've got 30 watts in my 12.

 

[bdhough]

I see.... Then i should think of it more as a specific size tank being able to handle certain corals? Or is the minimum 30 watts period for any kind of corals and from their on up its whatever ratio you can put together, but min 3 watts a gallon??? When i say 30 watts thats for a 10 gallon or smaller.
Is there a minimum TOTAL wattage for corals around? Like say 30 watts total for a green button poylp and say 60 watts for a maxima? So you would have to get 60 watts of light right on that clam and 30 watts of light right on that polyp...
I think i see what you are saying in the last post. I do know it also has to do with the intensity of lights you can give the corals. Maybe im just confusing myself

 

[dcox88]

My tank was purchased as a lease tank that the LFS had in a business. I agree more light is better. That's why I just purchased the new lights. Sammy, all I was saying is the tank was set up for 4 years with the existing lights and has done well. I have attached a pic. You can just make out the standard light hood at the top - it has 2 - 20 watt bulbs.

 

[dcox88]

Sammy, just re-read your post. I agree new members should not get around upgrading to new lights. Thats why I told eel to take your advice and upgrade the lights first...and why I just bought new lights.

 

[bdhough]

I see... So bottom line i should just get as much as possible. Which i plan to do. Especially whenever i get my ideal tank and have some money to use up.
My little 12 nano has only 30 watts. I've kept green and yellow buttons fairly well now for 3 weeks. They seem to be getting bigger. We'll see if they start spreading. I was going to try my hand at shrooms, maybe a star polyp, and possibly a red brain. I know the red brain might be pushing it though. We'll see if i get the LF job like i think im going to....
BTW i don't know if you remeber a post about the id on the clam.... I asked for an ID there on a hermit if you get a second to take a look back at it....

 

[entice59]

man all this wattage talking im not even sure my anomie has enough light now....
im using 72 watts Jbj, my tank measurements are on the bottom, its not a deep tank ,about a foot high..
my bubble tip anomie is about 11/2 inches and is about 6 inches from the light, its been there ever since i put it in the tank.
The anomie is the small white/tannish thing in the middle, its an old picture

 

[bdhough]

Sammy
It's about 14 inches high. By 20 length by 10 width.