Power Compact Lighting

[houndhome1]

I scoped out a new aquarium store today and the owner tells me that I need different lighting if I want to have coral and anenomes. Being new at this, I obviously need to do the research. I have a 75 gal tank and and this guy suggested the Power Compact 48" with 2 blue lights and 2 clear lights. Anyone anyone have experience with the Power Comact Lighting?

 

[vlondi]

There are many different questions to consider when choosing lighting options:
What do you want to keep?
How deep is your tank?
What is your budget?
among others.
In general it is my opinion that power compacts will enable you to keep most of what you will want as a beginner. You can keep most soft corals and, this is highly opinionated, some of the less-demanding anenomes (at your own risk). For this you will need at least 260 watts of power; I'm assuming your fishstore owner suggested a 4x65 watt system which should allow you to do this.
If you want to get into keeping higher demanding corals and anenomes, as well as clams, you need to upgrade to metal halide lighting which is much, much more expensive.
Right now I use a 4x55 PC (power compact) lighting system on my 55 gallon. I figure that since I am new at the hobby and am still not sure whether or not I want to keep the more difficult stuff this should be more than sufficient for what I know that I do want. If you already know what you want long term begin making decisions for lighting on that. Lighting is one of the bigger investments in this hobby; make sure you get it right or you could end up spending a lot of money.

 

[deer99]

Hi
Right know i have two power compact ligth on my 120. i have 540 watts on the tank. if you can get
metal halide lights now wood be the time to get them. you will be able to do a lot more corals and anenomes. i am having that issue now.

 

[adrock16]

I have also been looking for a pc. Ive been told that orbit makes the best.I have seen a fixture on e_ _ _. You may want to look there. The one I saw was 4x65 and also had lunar lights.

 

[steveoutla]

Orbit and Coralife are about equal in quality. However, I agree with deer99....go for the halides now and it will be cheaper. If you try to upgrade later you won't even be able to get 1/2 what you paid for the PC's.

 

[acekjd83]

i agree with vlondi, i have a 2-65W pc w/lunar light, and it is enough for soft corals, but NOT clams or stony corals... if that's ok w/ you, then pc will work, but ive found that no one is ever happy keeping just the easy soft corals and anemones.
mine is a current usa pc, and i like it, but if i had more money, i think i'd go with the coralife aqualite pro... it has two pc's and a MH built into the same hood.

 

[reefraff]

If you are on a budget you could start out with VHO's and not be wasting your money like you would with PC's. Once you decide to go to high light critters you could get halides and use the VHO's for actinic supplimentation.

 

[adrock16]

Hey reefraff
Where can I get vho's at a good price?

 

[reefraff]

You could check that auction site or do a search for VHO lamps and ballasts.

 

[180dude]

I recently bought some compacts on ----. Do a search for Jebo lighting. They are cheap in price and work great. The seller shipped right away. Well made lights.

 

[jon.316]

Defenitely in order to be a true reefer you will need metal halides...I'd suggest at least 275 in a 75 gal. My brother has a 400 wat MH in his 90 gal and its awsome...BUT....I'd still get the PC's because tanks just look so much better with true 03 acitinic bulbs.
Besides your MH are only gonna be on 6-8 hours a day..wacha gonna look at in the dark the rest of the day?? I'd run 03 acitinics...make sure they're '03 and not just blue....from 1 pm to 1am, your 2 10k's from 2-12, and your halides from 5-11.
If you git the PC with moon lights..i'd keep the moonlightson 24/7..leds take up no power newayz
But hey it all comes down to the $$$ I'd git the PC first then git the MH in a coupla mo nths
IMO

 

[houndhome1]

We have 1 anenome and live rock right now. Cleaner clams...some invertebrates. We bought 2 new bulbs for the existing cover..both 40 watt, 1 luner, 1 full spectrum. Eventually, we'd like to have more coral and more anemones but we also want a nice selection of fish. Will this lighting get us started? We're a tad squeezed for cash right now...:happyfish

 

[reefraff]

If you already have an anemone you need something other than what you have now, fast. Go with what you can afford and feed the anemone.

 

[houndhome1]

What, exactly, does one feed an anemone?

 

[reefraff]

Give it a raw cocktail shrimp, should find that tasty.

 

[houndhome1]

Holey Cow!!! I was cooking mussels this evening for dinner. I took a few piece of raw mussel and my anemone literally inhaled it! My chocolate Chip Star ate the other piece!!!! Pretty neat to watch. Thanks for the advice!:joy:

 

[pichyfish]

Halide is way over kill you do not need that much light, very common myth!! Catfish Lighting has a 4 X 65 Watt Power Compact, more then a enough light. I run two 55 Gallon tanks both with that light and my tanks are thriving!!