Help on Coral to add for my lighting

marine8412

marine8412

New Member
I have a 55 gal with about 40 lbs of live rock. I have a a Power Glo 40W T-10 18000K light. I know this is ok for mushrooms and some leathers... but wanted to check with the experts, I do not want to harm corals.
What is the best type of corals that will thrive with my lighting?
I have currently:
5 pepermint shrimps
serpant star
Brown Brittle star
2-Fireflies
Yellow tang
Blue tang
sm. P. clown
I do have brown buttons that came on a piece of live rock (bought from LFS for $8.00) and they gave me 1 brown mushroom
looking forward to your advice! Newbie i am...but had salt tanks fish only for 17 years


 
vishnuborg

vishnuborg

Member
You should typically get either metal halides or T5's for corals, in a ratio of 4 watts per gallon. You could even use both, but total wattage should add up to 220 watts for your 55 gallon 'reef.' You really weren't bitten by a coral bug for 17 years? Wow! I was driven to buy corals since I started the hobby! Well anyway, this kind of lighting guide if for a reef tank with photosynthetic corals like torches and seriatroporas. Right now, you just need about 2.3 watts per gallon for your easy corals, and in compact fluorescent tube lights at that. If you want really good, cheap light, and not in the most attractive color, or just to supplement your current fixture, visit this site:
http://www.1000bulbs.com/Metal-Halid...&ad=3272279892
 
vishnuborg

vishnuborg

Member
P.P.S. Your mushroom polyp will really color up a lot if you add more lighting. Try pointing a power head at it- if you have a power head- and it will try to move away, leaving small pieces of the base behind, which will grow more polyps.
 
fishstick4sale

fishstick4sale

Member
in my 30gallon i had 72 watts, thats only 2watts per gallon u can home zo's leathers candycane and certain coral... but like the previous post said atleast 4watts is good no less i bumped mine up and got an upgrade now im at 140 watts alittle over 4watts now
 
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