need lighting suggestions for new ten gallon tank

[jenny_rs]

I just upgraded my 5 gallon to a ten long, and was wondering what lighting i would need if i got a bubble tip anemone. I know i need to get some more live rock seeing as i only have 5 pounds right now, but thats beside the point. the ballast on my hood says max 25 watts, do i need to change my ballast, or is 25 watts enough. what bulbs would you suggest for a ten gallon long, and also, where in the tank do you think it would be best to place my powerhead, it is a mini, for up to ten gallon tanks. any suggestions would be very helpful. oh and my tank has been up and running for 6 months now, so im going to give it a few more months before i actually purchase the anemone, i just want to have everything set up before hand. Thanks.

 

[jenny_rs]

No one has any suggestions for me?

 

[teresaq]

does you tank have a canopy. if not look at the sunpod fixtures. you will need strong lighting for an anemone. you will need vho or mh (70 wtt)
you might ask in the nano forum.

 

[007]

I'm going to guess that you have the regular strip light that comes with the tank. If thats the case, yes you need to change the entire fixture in order to keep an anemone.
Have you ever kept an anemone before? They can be challenging, especially in a small tank with unstable water parameters.
You would need to upgrade your lights to at least power compacts, or more preferably T-5 in order to give an anemone even a chance. That would entail an entire new fixture.
As for the power head, you should have it pushing water the long way on the tank . . . i hope though thats not the only source of water movement you've got. If so, you should consider adding a second power head and aim it at the first one to create random currents.

 

[jenny_rs]

Well, there is the powerhead (facing the long way) and the water coming from the filter also. no i have never kept an anemone before. and i have changed my mind about that, i'm gonna start off small, with mushrooms or something. i do have 2 compact flourescents that are 50/50 actinic (screw in) that are 10 watts each, not sure if thats enough to keep mushrooms.

 

[rbaldino]

Get rid of the standard hood that came with that tank, replace it with a glass top, and look into a Coralife Aqualight power compact fixture, or something similar. You can keep a variety of soft corals with PC lighting. Good luck.

 

[jenny_rs]

right now i can't really afford to change my whole hood, so i want to stick with the hood i have and see if i can find 20 watt compact flourescents. so i just upgraded my gravel to sand. and as i thought i am having an ammonia spike. ammonia is at 3.0, nitrite is at 10 ppm and nitrate is at 20 ppm. gonna be doing a water change today and hopefully things will settle down.