need help
- Thread starter ricky20
- Start date
reefraff
Active Member
Make sure exactly what you want to keep long term before buying lights. You can start at Power compacts and work your way up to VHO, T5 and then metal halides as far as intensity goes. If you are positive you will stick with low or medium light corals something like an Orbit 4 x 65 PC fixture would be fine.
If you want high lighting critters like SPS and clams you need to look at the other lighting, preferably the halides.
If you want high lighting critters like SPS and clams you need to look at the other lighting, preferably the halides.
reefraff
Active Member
A lot of people use the term "basic corals" to refer to soft corals but some of those require a lot of light. The key is to know the corals lighting requirements.
With normal 40 watt fluorescents you could keep some mushrooms and other low light corals like chilli cactus.
If you are on a tight budget and have a canopy do a Google search for 'Helios T5". These are slick units that include the lamp and ballast all in one and are simple to install. T5's are a fluorescent lamp that puts out more light watt for light than the other fluorescents. The great thing about these is they are only about an inch wide and they are dirt cheap. 4 of them over your tank would allow you to keep lowand mid lighting corals (many of the soft corals and a few LPS) and cost just over 100 bucks. You could start out with a couple and add more as your budget allows. there is an online place called amads (cant post links but you should be able to guess the address) that sells them and Power Compacts pretty cheap. You can also find the power compacts on e-bay.
If you need a hood power compacts would be the way to go, you can get them cheaper than any thing else. Check e bay.
With normal 40 watt fluorescents you could keep some mushrooms and other low light corals like chilli cactus.
If you are on a tight budget and have a canopy do a Google search for 'Helios T5". These are slick units that include the lamp and ballast all in one and are simple to install. T5's are a fluorescent lamp that puts out more light watt for light than the other fluorescents. The great thing about these is they are only about an inch wide and they are dirt cheap. 4 of them over your tank would allow you to keep lowand mid lighting corals (many of the soft corals and a few LPS) and cost just over 100 bucks. You could start out with a couple and add more as your budget allows. there is an online place called amads (cant post links but you should be able to guess the address) that sells them and Power Compacts pretty cheap. You can also find the power compacts on e-bay.
If you need a hood power compacts would be the way to go, you can get them cheaper than any thing else. Check e bay.