Is 110w of PC enough for low light corals?

zanemoseley

zanemoseley

Active Member
Ok I've got all my LR now (about 110lb worth) and I have 2x55w PC's on the way, they will be mounted in my canopy which will put the lights about 9-10in off the water, will this be enough for low light corals, my favorite is ricordea. I think I may wait on MH's since hopefully in the next 1-1.5 years I'll be getting a house and I don't wanna have to mess with moving a lot of expensive corals during the move out of my apartment, also how long after my tank is started do I have to wait to add the ricordeas if I can have them. Also if I go and get another 110 watts of PC's what else could I keep?
 
jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Active Member
It would be close. I ran 120w NO light over my 75 for over a year. I kept a few leathers, shrooms, GSP, that type of thing. they all seemed happy, and did fine. However, they didn't spread at all. That was back when I was new in the hobby, so I made no attempt to feed them. Perhaps some type of filter feeder food (phytoplex or the like) would help.
 
jedininja

jedininja

Member
Thats really not going to be much. You can keep a few coral alive, but they will not be happy or thrive. I hate using the watts per gallon rule, but in some cases it shows people how low they are. The rocommened amount is 3-6 watts per gallon. 3 watts is for the lowet light coral such as shrooms, buttons, and leathers. You only have less than half that amount. I would wait until you could get better lighting. Why make corals suffer like that. Even though they dont move and seem more like plants, they are living animals that need good conditions to live in.
 
j21kickster

j21kickster

Active Member

Originally posted by jedininja
. 3 watts is for the lowet light coral such as shrooms, buttons, and leathers. You only have less than half that amount.
even leathers and button polyps can survive- i wouldnt say they are ideal- Polyps from the Palythoa genus (common buttons and sea mats) come from places on the reef that they recieve fairly bright lighting-Zoanthids (also sometimes called buttom polyps) should have bright lighing as well, same with a lot of the leathers- But like mentioned they will survive but..... if yuo get any of them just make an effort to put them close to the top - that is lighting that will keep them alive if the are fairly close to it- and for the lower portions- Many discosoma shrooms will do well. GSP will also do well- althought they spread faster with brighter lighting- they will still spread under the PCs as long as you have good water quality- But i would really try to get more lighting
 
jedininja

jedininja

Member

Originally posted by donpachino
i got 4x55wat bulbs on a 55g is this good
Yes, that is decent lighting for a 55. You can keep most things except for SPS and clams and a few LPS.
That is how much light I have on my tank now, except I just ordered some MH too add to it.
 
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