LR lighting

[streetdoc]

I have a 90g (48wx18dx24h) that has been running over a year now with a total of 260w PC 50/50. I have many posts here about "proper lighting" but can't seem to find the type and quantity that would be. So far I have had a fish only but have recently added a few shrimp, snails, and a little LR. I would like to add 50lbs or so more but want to make sure the lighting is OK. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[bencc]

Live rock really doesn't need that much light. The Lighting you have IMO is plenty to grow coraline and things like that on live rock. If you decided to start doing corals you may want to upgrade or make sure what you get is not a very light demanding coral.

 

[streetdoc]

I sthere a range that is recommended for LR, corals, soft corals, etc....perhaps expressed in watts per gallon?

 

[bencc]

There really isn't anything that states exactly, that I am aware of. Most things you get coral wise will either have low, medium or high light requirments. Watts per gallon is really not a exact measurment but IMO to give a little comparison I would say 1-3 watts per gallon would be low light, 4-6 medium 7-10 high. If you look on this site at corals and anemones it will tell you what the lighting requirment is. Live rock really does not have a lighting requrment. VHO, PC and Metal Halide are the types of lighting systems most people use. Metal halide is IMO the best you can get it pentrates the water and comes as close as you can get to simulating actual sunlight. If you want high light demanding things it is the way to go. I used PC for a long time and I really liked it. I now have a Metal halide PC combo and it makes things grow and look even better.

 

[streetdoc]

Thanks