Lighting Question

tnt

tnt

Member
I just bought a coralife aqualight with the quad bulb for my future 10g nano. I'm looking at bulbs and there are 3 different types out there. What are the differences? I see a 10,000K, 50/50, and 6,700K. I would like to keep a variety of corals, but I haven't picked any out yet. I'm just not sure what bulb is best. thanks for your opinions!
 
thegrog

thegrog

Active Member
10,000K will give the most light per watt that the corals need, the 50/50 will give some actinic and look better (more blue) but will have less available light for corals. The 6700 is a little yellow and I don't recommend it for a display tank (good for refugiums though).
IMO, go with the 50/50 if using a quad bulb. With that you will still be able to keep many zoos, polyps, mushrooms and other lower light demanding corals. Plenty of colorful ones to choose from.
 
thegrog

thegrog

Active Member
Originally Posted by tnt
So if go with the 50/50, I should pick all lowlight corals and such?
I am assuming that you are using the 96watt quad PC bulb. Then yes, go with lower light corals and such. Anemones, clams, stony, SPS and most LPS are definately out (hard--if not impossible--to keep many of these in a 10-gal anyway).
 
tnt

tnt

Member
OK, I will have 96w on a 10g. That's 9.6w/g, and that's considered low light? What the heck is considered high? Is it because of the type of lighting? :help:
 
carshark

carshark

Active Member
Originally Posted by tnt
OK, I will have 96w on a 10g. That's 9.6w/g, and that's considered low light? What the heck is considered high? Is it because of the type of lighting? :help:

its not the actual wattage that you have to take into account, its the penetration of the light, and the lumens it actually puts out.
 
tnt

tnt

Member
OK, so pc's don't penetrate or put out as many lumens as mh, correct? So what lighting would fulfill high light requirements on a 10g? I'm just trying to get this whole lighting thing straight. :notsure:
 
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