Low-light corals

[dmitry]

I'm not setting up a reef tank at this tage of my fish-keeping career, but would love to ad to my tank something for color, variety, and coolness! However, my lighting is low (1.5watts per gallon: a 10,000K and a 20,000 bulbs). I do have another fluorescent strip that I could fit on the tank, so ad another 20watts or so. (Though that would mean keeping the lid on the aquarium shut.) Incidentally, does anybody know what the maximum wattage on All Glass light strips is? They don't say in their manuals! Anyway, 1.5watts right now, with the ability to have 2watts per gallons...what could I get away with? I'd love something branching... :needhelp:

 

[paulcoates]

Mushrooms, and that is about it at that levels of light. You really need to spend money on lights to get corals

 

[snipe]

You wont be able to keep anything except "low light demanding zoos not many to choose from" And low light polyps and mushrooms. That is all I can think of. No branching stuff I know of that would work in low light.

 

[reeffeer]

look into filter feeders. dusters etc. as for color and branching...sponges, such as orange or red branching can be wonderfull. they do need current but no light since they rely on goodies in the water and not photosynthesis. beware when transporting sponge it may never ever ever be outside of water! the air traps within it and it will slowly die of starvation sine the air bloks the nutrients from getting to its core. you lfs should coach you on how to do this without too muh of his water gettinng into yours..good luck.

 

[snipe]

But sponges are really sensative and die easily.

 

[ivanfj]

Sun polyps don't need any light and it's colorful. You only have to feed it directly with mysis or other frozen food every 2 or 3 days.

 

[dmitry]

What about Ricordea Mushrooms? There seem to be a nice variety of color and they appear to need low to medium lighting levels.