Lighting for Reef Tank

[johndodd]

Hello,
I am going to attempt a reef tank.I have been reading about lighting for the last couple of hours and think I want to start out with CF lights. Mostly for financial reasons. Does that rule out Anemones? I've read they require Strong Light but have read some people have had success with CF. My tank is a 40 gal, 30" x 12" x 23"
One website I've seen recommends a "Coralife 30 Inch Aqualight With 2-65W 50/50".
Two 65 watt 50/50 straight pin base compact fluorescent lamps
Two on/off switches with two 8-foot power cords for separate timers
Built-in ballasts
Two cooling fans
Sleek aluminum housing
Highly-polished reflector
Acrylic lens cover
Ideal for Saltwater and Reef Aquariums
Dimensions: 30in x 7in x 2 1/2in
I am trying to keep cost down, but I don't want to purchase something that isn't going to be sufficient either.
Thanks

 

[teresaq]

That light would be fine for soft corals, mushrooms, zoos, and leathers.
Anemones need much stronger lights like mh. Some are also using t-5s.
I have seen the nova extreme pro suggested alot.

 

[rad]

not trying to suggest the extreme opposite of the last poster but Ive seen many people keep an anemone under PC (power compact, which is I think what your getting at) lighting. dont get me wrong, all anemones need to be fed, but @ 3.25 watts per gallon your not doing too bad and just so long as you dont forget to feed them, IMO, you will be fine. Id feed anemones 2-3 times a week. if you were to go with a carpet anemone Id suggest T-5 to MH lighting, but for regular LTA, BTA and other anemones PC lighting is just fine. if you can afford more wattage that would be great but I understand if you cant. just know that some T-5 VHO lighting out there is very affordable these days and a better option than PC's.

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by rad
not trying to suggest the extreme opposite of the last poster but Ive seen many people keep an anemone under PC (power compact, which is I think what your getting at) lighting. dont get me wrong, all anemones need to be fed, but @ 3.25 watts per gallon your not doing too bad and just so long as you dont forget to feed them, IMO, you will be fine. Id feed anemones 2-3 times a week. if you were to go with a carpet anemone Id suggest T-5 to MH lighting, but for regular LTA, BTA and other anemones PC lighting is just fine. if you can afford more wattage that would be great but I understand if you cant. just know that some T-5 VHO lighting out there is very affordable these days and a better option than PC's.
I disagree here, the only thing feeding will do is prolong the inevitable, under your lights any anemone will suffer. Long term health is your goal and 6 months to a year is not success. Watts per gal is a stone age way of measuring light requirments for your tank. As there are other factors needed to be figured to get an accurate wattage and bulb type. Anemones need pristine water and strong lighting and that doesnt necessarily mean high wattage. If the bulb you have is not intense enough to penetrate the water to its fullest depth you can have 400 watts of PC lighting it wont make a difference unless the anemone resides 2" below the surface of the water. Which is somthing you cannot guarantee. HO-T5 lighting at minium is recomended and individual reflectors is preferred. Anemones get 90% of their nutrition and energy from photosynthesis and trace elements in your water.

 

[teresaq]

if your tank dosent have a center brace, a 175 mh would be much better then pcs, a center brace may cause a shadow. you are better off buying the best you can, beause it never fails you end up upgradeing

there have been several for sale in the used equipment forum.

 

[lecithin]

Originally Posted by TeresaQ
ibceause it never fails you end up upgrading
lol sooooo true. I've gone through more lighting fixtures then I have corals!

 

[nycbob]

if money is an issue, spend $200 on the nova 4x54w t5 without individual reflctors. my current bta thrive under that light for 8 months b4 i upgraded my light, and he was like 20 inches away from the light.
then:

now

 

[johndodd]

Originally Posted by nycbob
if money is an issue, spend $200 on the nova 4x54w t5 without individual reflctors. my current bta thrive under that light for 8 months b4 i upgraded my light, and he was like 20 inches away from the light.
then:

now

I've only been able top find 4x24w T5 in a 30" model. Would that suffice? Maybe I will just take the Anenome out of the picture.
If I go with the T5 I've found;
30" SunDial T5HO 4x24watt T5HO 10K/460 w/integrated timers
Can that sit on top of a glass canopy? One of my clowns is a jumper.
Thanks

 

[yosemite sam]

Originally Posted by johndodd
Can that sit on top of a glass canopy? One of my clowns is a jumper.
Thanks
If you have problems with jumping fish, you can use what's known as egg crate to make a screen over the top of your tank. You can find it in the lighting section of any Lowes or Home Depot. It's better to go without glass covers, as it helps with gas exchange in your tank, and dirty covers can lower light efficiency

 

[lecithin]

Originally Posted by Yosemite Sam
If you have problems with jumping fish, you can use what's known as egg crate to make a screen over the top of your tank. You can find it in the lighting section of any Lowes or Home Depot. It's better to go without glass covers, as it helps with gas exchange in your tank, and dirty covers can lower light efficiency

The sundial will indeed go over your glass top... of course as the above poster suggests replace it w/eggcrate. Either way the sundial has legs that will go over it.
The sundial is a little more powerful then the basic nova extreme, the nova extreme has one reflector, the sundial has one reflector but it is bent so that it acts as multiple reflectors.... and the Nova Extreme Pro has true individual reflectors and is thus more powerful then the sundial. I like the sundial because of the built in timers and lunars but I own the Pro....

 

[perfectdark]

Just off topic of the lights... Clown fish are not known jumpers as some blenny's and other types of fish are. If you have a jumping clown you may want to investigate as to why. There could be some type of harrassment in the tank.. just my 2 cents.

 

[johndodd]

Originally Posted by PerfectDark
Just off topic of the lights... Clown fish are not known jumpers as some blenny's and other types of fish are. If you have a jumping clown you may want to investigate as to why. There could be some type of harrassment in the tank.. just my 2 cents.

LOL, Yeah there is some harassment going on in there and the clown is behind it. She is a bully, bites at me every time I put my hand in the water and comes flyin outta there every chance she gets. All of the other fish stay away from her. We've picked her up off the carpet at least 3 times. That's one reason she and her little buddy (another clown) are going into the new tank. All I have to do is open the canopy and let her jump to her new home. Maybe I'll make a little hoop for her to jump through. She's lucky she's so pretty.<smile>
jdd

 

[nycbob]

i read on the current usa site, the sundial fixture has individual reflectors also.

 

[johndodd]

Originally Posted by Yosemite Sam
If you have problems with jumping fish, you can use what's known as egg crate to make a screen over the top of your tank. You can find it in the lighting section of any Lowes or Home Depot. It's better to go without glass covers, as it helps with gas exchange in your tank, and dirty covers can lower light efficiency
I finally gave up on the T5, it seems that they are hard top find for a 30" tank. I went ahead and bought a 'High Intensity PowerPaq 14,000K HQI Metal Halide'. Am I still gonna be able to use Egg Crate or do I have to worry about it melting?
jdd

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by johndodd
I finally gave up on the T5, it seems that they are hard top find for a 30" tank. I went ahead and bought a 'High Intensity PowerPaq 14,000K HQI Metal Halide'. Am I still gonna be able to use Egg Crate or do I have to worry about it melting?
jdd

Nova Extreme sells a Sundial 30" fixture with indpendant reflectors, actually its one reflector countoured around each bulb. Not parabolic but def a lot better than a single. It still uses a 24" bulb but its a 30" fixture, I am using one on my 36gal bow front. I believe I paid $220.00 for it and it has 2 separtate timers and moon glow LED's.
If you already bought the MH system just make sure that it doesnt heat your water up too much. MH lighting is often coupled with a chiller to keep your aquarium temp below boiling. In some cases pendant lights are high enough off the surface of the water not to affect the temp that much but you still need to monitor it.

 

[johndodd]

Yeah I was just reading about chillers. I just know I'm going to end up having to have an electrician come out and run a new line for me. I won't be putting any critters in the tank for at least another 10 days so I'll be able to get some kind of idea about the temp by then. I totally blame the people on this website for my problems. Posting all those cool looking reef pictures and making me want one too. LOL
jdd