lighting question

[griffins]

I have a 75 gallon with canopy but the light came with 40 flo. can I keep bubbles tip frags mushrooms andyellow polyps thanks if not what is the most resobible lighting to get

 

[crsdall]

For most reef tanks a 4 Light combo fixture MH/Florescent setup consisting of 2 x 175 watts Metal Halide (MH) and 2 x 40 watts Actinic Blue works well. From my experience if keeping corals and trying to get the caulerpa to grow this is the minimum setup you should have.

 

[sebae0]

that will not provide enough light the canopy that you have, vho or pc's would be fine for the softies and maybe for the bubble.

 

[griffins]

thanks but this is a very hard thing to figuar out. what would be the easyest and low priced way to go.

 

[crsdall]

Easiest way to go ? Fish only tank use the light came with the tank. Corals, bubble tip frags - use Very High Output (VHO) lights totaling 350 watts at least for a 75G tank more the better. Florescents run cooler but you have to change bulbs more frequently. Metal halide lights duplicates the effects of the sun. Just look at a tank with VHO and one with Metal halide - the metal halide can cast shadows of the water rippling like on the reef in a ocean VHO can't. And it's not for just looks they put out more light than florescents.
I'm for Metal halide because after starting with HO then VHO I still end up going for the Metal halide.

 

[sebae0]

definately metal halide is the way to go if you want to keep any coral, but if budget is a problem vho's or pc's will be adequate for the lesser light demanding corals. look on ---- or do a search and you can find some good lighting at reasonable prices.