How long would corals and anemone's live under regular fluorescent lighting

tervman

Member
How long would corals and anemone's live under regular fluorescent aquarium bulbs? I ask because the MH pendants I just hung are over 10 years old - they were given to me by a friend who broke down his tank in 1993. I am planning to get some corals, and an anemone, but I don't know how long the ballast in the pendants will last - I'm hoping a LONG time. If the ballasts decide to die on me, I would have to scramble to get some lights that would keep the corals alive, or try to replace the ballast (if possible).
Does anyone know if it is possible to replace ballasts in MH pendants?
 

msd2

Active Member
First I am assuming you replaced the bulbs w/new one correct?
As far as surviving under NO lighting, depends on the corals, but safe to say you had better have a reserve fund built up before you get the corals which can cover the cost of replacement lights if you are that concerned. You dont want to spend a few hundred dollars or more on corals to watch them die as you save up funds for the lights. Check around every part of the MH lights can be replaced, base, housing, ballast.
Remember that light is how some corals 'eat' how long can you go w/o eating?
 

tervman

Member

Originally posted by msd2
First I am assuming you replaced the bulbs w/new one correct?

I am looking at new bulbs now. I didn't want to go out and buy new bulbs, only to find out the pendants would not work after a day or so of usage, since they were stored in my friends garage for the past 11 years. I have been burning them 5-6 hours a day, for the past 5 days, and so far, so good. So, my next step is to get new bulbs.
As far as surviving under NO lighting, depends on the corals, but safe to say you had better have a reserve fund built up before you get the corals which can cover the cost of replacement lights if you are that concerned.

When I said I would have to scramble to get replacement lights, I meant that I was concerned about how much TIME I would have to get them set up if the pendants died on me.
Remember that light is how some corals 'eat' how long can you go w/o eating?

Depends. You're a medical researcher...you probably know better than I, but I have heard that a person can go without food for quite a while, as long as they have water. Not saying the same is true for corals, but would they (the corals, not the people) die within a day without light? A week? Two weeks? A month? What's the point of no return?
Thanks.
 

sammyg

Member
I think I recall that people can go ~3 weeks without food, assuming they have water. But I wouldn't want to try it!
 

msd2

Active Member

Originally posted by SammyG
I think I recall that people can go ~3 weeks without food, assuming they have water. But I wouldn't want to try it!

LOL true you are able to go aprox. 3 wks. LOL but I think u missed my point :) I would say if you replace a blown ballast within a few days it would be fine. maybe even up to a week, depending upon the condition of the corals.
 
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