New Tank with Soft Corals

[sampster5000]

Hello everyone. I am new to the saltwater aquarium hobby and would like some suggestions for lighting and GPH flow for a 46 gallon bowfront tank. I am wanting to do Soft Corals as I've read that these are the easiest. Can someone tell me what the best lighting option would be for this size aquarium with soft corals? I am still trying to figure out the difference in LPS/SPS vs. soft corals but really just want some corals that wont die on me if the enviroment isnt perfect. Those can be for the future. I really would like to know what is the best light and why so many people are switching to LED lighting. I am having a hard time understanding how LED's put off enough light to grow corals and plants when they have so little wattage. Also, I cant seem to find anywhere how much GPH I need for these specific corals. I have 2 nano koralia powerheads but am not sure if these will be enough.
My tank is not set up yet. I have all of my equipment except my lights and my heater(s). The only other thing I need is my live rock and I am waiting until I have my lights and heater to start cycling. Thanks for any help!

 

[flower]

Welcome to the site!

Get the best lights you can afford if you want corals. Me, I prefer Metal Halides. T5HO are also very good but nothing looks like MH lighting..it dances on the water like sunshine does on the ocean. Add actinic blue lights and you have real beauty. I have never had LED lights except for the blue moonlights...so I can't comment on them.

Soft corals like it dirty, corals like Xenia and Kenya trees like nitrates. Mushrooms survive anything.
LPS corals are a little less willing to tolerate nitrates, SPS corals no nitrates at all and need really clean near perfect water in the tank.

As for flow, get a couple of Koralia power heads, they have a magnet to stay put and create a wave instead of a stream of water like a maxijet. Just make sure all areas of the tank have some current. There should be no dead spots. You want to create a current, like the ocean. Some areas will have strong flow and some will have not so much. All areas need some circulation.
When you get to know your tank, in those high flow areas certain corals love and the low flow areas other corals like. You place them accordingly.

 

[sampster5000]

Thanks for the reply! How much WPG would you say is good for these corals? I guess the most light I can get is the best but I'd like to spend as little money as possible. MH lighting is pretty expensive!

 

[jstdv8]

depends on the kind of light. is it metal halide? T-5HO? LED? compact flourecent?
All these lights have different outputs. If you want to grow a good range of corals go with metal halide ot t-5 HO (or a high end LED)

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by sampster5000 http:///forum/thread/384375/new-tank-with-soft-corals#post_3366970
Thanks for the reply! How much WPG would you say is good for these corals? I guess the most light I can get is the best but I'd like to spend as little money as possible. MH lighting is pretty expensive!

AquaticLife T5 HO Dual Lamp Light Fixtures
Link up to three T5 HO aquarium light fixtures

I purchased the linkable TH5O. It links up to 3 lights. Each has 2 bulbs one actinic and one 10.000K You can replace the actinic with another 10.000K and double your output.

-ansi-language: EN">On my 30g tank I needed a 36 inch light..The one linkable 36 inch T5HO cost me $119.00 enough output for soft corals like mushrooms and Kenya. If I want to upgrade..Spend another $119.00 and I can keep LPS and most SPS, add the last one for another $119.00 and I can keep anemones.

Total spent: $357 and I can build slowly.

My first PC lights cost me $300.00
I upgraded for better PCs and paid $400.00
I got retrofit MHs that lasted only one year for $1000.00
I purchased another MH light system elite for $500.00 (a very good deal)

Now I can have any coral I want..Plus an anemone...but I spent $2200.00 over time.

The linkable T5HO lights cost a little more each size up. So 48 inch lights for a 55g, 75g or 90g will cost more, $140.00 each..Still a good bargain. Total spent on 48" $420.00

 

[sampster5000]

Thanks guys. Those linkable t5's look good. So you are using all 10k bulbs? Still trying to figure out how yall know how much light is needed for any tank size. I am a planted tank person so it is easy for me to say how much light you need for certain plants in any tank. You can really just go by WPG. But I guess this is not the case with corals. Is there not a kelvin temperature that corals do best in? Thanks again.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by sampster5000 http:///forum/thread/384375/new-tank-with-soft-corals#post_3367028
Thanks guys. Those linkable t5's look good. So you are using all 10k bulbs? Still trying to figure out how yall know how much light is needed for any tank size. I am a planted tank person so it is easy for me to say how much light you need for certain plants in any tank. You can really just go by WPG. But I guess this is not the case with corals. Is there not a kelvin temperature that corals do best in? Thanks again.

There is, but I'm not smart enough to calculate that way. I have one 36" linkable unit that has one bulb actinic and one 10.000K on my 30g seahorse tank. I keep Kenya trees, a medusa tree and mushroom coral in that tank. If I want to upgrade later it won't cost me an extra arm or leg.
On my 90g reef I have 2X175w MH with 2X96w actinic..I can keep any coral I want. The low light ones on the bottom and the light hungry on top or anywhere in between, I also have an anemone. Water flow and water quality also must be considered when dealing with corals. Some corals can tolerate nitrates better than others, some like to be in a gentle flow and others need it very strong. Water tests tell you what you can keep an what might be wrong.