Lighting for Live Rock?

[phxjosh]

I keep finding mixed answers, so hopefully someone here can help.
I am doing a FOWLR setup, how much lighting is needed to keep live rock? What about to keep some soft corals like mushrooms and such?
Also, there seems to be many different types of bulbs, do I need the 50/50 type or the 10k/20k type?
Is there a general rule for watts per gallon or inch or something?

 

[keith burn]

Originally Posted by PhxJosh
http:///forum/post/2909941
I keep finding mixed answers, so hopefully someone here can help.
I am doing a FOWLR setup, how much lighting is needed to keep live rock? What about to keep some soft corals like mushrooms and such?
Also, there seems to be many different types of bulbs, do I need the 50/50 type or the 10k/20k type?
Is there a general rule for watts per gallon or inch or something?
good question
imo go with a 50/50
5w per gal in a reef is what i use but in a fowlr 2-3wpg will work for most
mushrooms but look at the corals and what thay need befor you add them
you may try a biger light on one side to have them work out.
what size it the tank?

 

[natclanwy]

Live rock doesn't require any lighting it will survive in the dark, but there can be organisms living on the liverock that do require light. You can get anything from sponges to zoas and in some rare cases SPS corals living on your rock.
Mushrooms and most zoas will be fine under PC lighting, the number of bulbs depends on the size of the tank. PC lighting is the minimum I would use for a FO tank only because your fish will look much nicer under the more intense lighting than they will under standard flourescent tube.
For colors I would probably lean toward the 50/50 also, the actnics will help bring out the colors in the fish. If you decide to use 20k bulbs the actnics probably aren't needed.

 

[phxjosh]

So I need around 3 watts per gallon?
Can I use a light fixture from like home depot? They hold the lights, and cost much less.