lighting for growing coral

[maxpain]

I have the live rock in my tank, now I would like to start making it a reef/fish tank what kind of lighting would be recomended that would not cost the big bucks to start doing this. I bought a glass top yesterday for the tank, and was thinking of making my one light a double strip, is this wize or should I go with a whole different light setup?

 

[bang guy]

Can you take the glass top back? They just block light & trap heat. If you're worried about fish jumping then go with a high quality egg crate.
The lighting I would recommend depends entirely on what you want to keep in there. If you want to be able to keep anything you want then HID lighting is your best solution. For anything less I prefer VHO with an IceCap 660 Ballast.

 

[maxpain]

I am not looking to start with stuff living off the live rocks, like shrooms, and stuff that dont have real high lighting needs. Sadly I dont think I will be able to take the glass top back, what could I be able to do with it on light wise? Like I said, I just want to start out with some easy stuff that is not going to cost me big $. I do have a little plant thing growing off my LR now, and just like the way it looks, no clue what the plant is by the way, think it is a shroom, opens and closes when fish go by, like its afraid or something.

 

[shanev]

Do a search for aptasia and see if thats what the plant thing is.

 

[beaslbob]

Max:
I currently run two utility fixtures from lowes on my 55g. They cost $7.99 each and lowes had a sale on 3300 lumen daylight tubes at $.88 for two tubes. So total cost of my current lights is bout $18 or so. I cut off some of the reflectors to fit and I could add another if I strip out the electronics and build my own hood. So currently I have 160 watts and could have 200 watts of NO. According to my light meter they provide about 80% of the lighting an LFS has on a larger tank with pc and MH lights.
Yes it is not the same as pc and mh lighting but so far several corals have survived for bout 4 months and some are starting to spread.

 

[maxpain]

Ya its one small aptasia. I see some sights sell stuff to get rid of it, is it bad or something? Personaly I like the way it looks and wouldnt mind more of them on the LR

 

[shanev]

Bob
-Not to mention the risk of fire, Im sure they dont have waterproof encaps.
maxpain
While they might look good, you dont want them in your tank. They can grow extermly fast and take over your tank, as well as sting and kill stuff you do want in your tank.

 

[sheracr123]

IMHO, which isn't alot in the lighting dept, PC's are a great starter light. I have just recently upgraded to PC's (Power Compacts) I see alot of people on this board with them. If you are looking under 150.00 to 200.00, I think this is the most inexpensive way to go. You can find them on ----, or here in the classified section. Depending on the wattage (I think you should have 2 X 96w bulbs, that is what someone recommended on my 65), they are considered medium light. There is a chart "sticky" in the reef tank section on what can be kept with medium light.
Do a search on lighting and you will get a ton of posts. Read them. Some peoples ideas will vary greatly, but will give you a more informed idea of what lighting is all about.
HTH
Mendee

 

[beaslbob]

Thanks kip. will put the ro/di and light in the stuff i dont need display
I know you are probably right but so far things are looking pretty good. And the aquarium lights are 900 or lumens compared to the 3300 lumens I have. Yea Yea Yea I know they are the wrong color. So far they seem to be doing fine.
Shane thanks for the warning and a very good point. No problem expected as I do have a glass top. If i ever start the diy hood my thought was to seperate the lights from the water anyway.
Meahwhile the $200 saved helped pay for the refugium.

 

[beaslbob]

Oh Ok Ok. I presume you guys hae already seen this. And of course it is still a work in progress. pic is available light, 800 asa f 1.8 or so 1/125 sec shutter and hand held. Sorry i couldn't get one better.
My comments. I have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. the tank is beautiful and the most striking things are the macros expecially those slow growing reds. Ther corals are Bout 3 weeks old in the picture and are all still there and growing. and is still a work in progress. I have recently replace the powerhead in the refug with a mag 5 and may have some news next week or so.

 

[maxpain]

If I go with PC will it be able to sit right on top of my glass tops. Also you say that plant I have on my lr is bad, i read pepermint shrimp will kill it, I got 2, so is that good?

 

[bdhough]

Yes it is good. What kind of aiptasia is it? The point translucent kind? I've found that peppermints will eat only those after a couple of days....

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by Kipass4130
what corals are those... one looks like a sinularia (far left tree coral.. kinda white)..... what is the coral to the far, far right... not the ball sponge... the orange thing in the corner?
the tree coral I think is a finger leather. Sun corals to the left of that and a curled up feather star under the ledge to the right of the finger. in the center is button polphs and right of that is an overexposed whited out open brain, next right are green star polyps. the orange thing split open so I have lost it. It was a cauliflower anemonie. Knew i should have written down the more scientific names of all that stuff.
As i said still a work in progress and I am sure higher lighting would be beneficial. But wifie and I are happy so far.

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by skilos1
regardless of whether or not the lights work, success isn't measured in a few weeks. Give it atleast a year and see if the same corals are living. Macro algae can grow under any direct lighting, that's not a big deal. I use lights from walmart for my refugium lighting and it works great. Is that a clam up top on the right, it looks bright white?
Understand. bright white is an open brain.

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by Kipass4130
if that is a sinularia... do you get good polyp extension bob?
like this?

Well i get little bumps anyway.

 

[reefnut]

.

 

[bang guy]

I think everyone has made their point and it's beginning to detract from the original post.

 

[sheracr123]

MAXPAIN,
I am going to experiment with the glass top. I have heard going with out as mentioned above. I have one now. My unit has a fan so I won't need to worry about heat. I just can't imagine topless!!! LOL
I am hoping this will get some more comments from the "more experienced ones".
And don't get discouraged about people stealing your thread. It doesn't happen very often. (Just when Beaslbob speaks )
GOOD LUCK and keep us posted!!
Mendee

 

[sheracr123]

I have a question and MAXPAIN is probably thinking the same thing???
My light setup has legs on it so it does not sit directly on the tank. I have no canopy and I'm sure Maxpain doesnt either. Will the lights sit on the tank without the glass? I just can't picture it. My lights are the same length of the tank. They will be here Monday so I have not had the chance to set them on there. I am just worried about them falling in!!!
Thanks
Mendee

 

[maxpain]

Thanks Mendee and everyone else for your help.