Proper Lighting??

[adamsr10]

Aiight so I currently have 2 tanks.. a 30 gallon tall with 3 bulb VHO - 225W. 2 Actinic White bulbs and 1 Actinic Blue bulbs.. Then my second tank I have a Nano Cube 12 Deluxe.. My main question is the concern of my lighting... In my nano cube with much less lighting my corals multiply, spread, and grow extremely fast... However in my 30gallon none of my corals seem to be growing very fast at all.. I always figured more light would allow for greater growth... But the xenia in my nano is crazy and the zenia in my 30gallon hasn't multiplied barely at all since I placed it in there almost 8 months ago??? What is the deal with nothing growing fast in my larger tank... Should I switch bulbs or something and put AquaSun bulbs in or more Actinic Blue bulbs??? Currently my lights are on from 10-8 everyday in both tanks... Any help would be great!!!

 

[jumpfrog]

Light is just one of many factors. Water quality, water movement, available minerals and food supply, coral placement to name a few. The concentration of light in your nano is probably higher than in your larger tank. Not as deep, animals closer to light etc.
Take a look at the other factors that affect growth and experiment and change to see if you get better results.
Good Luck!

 

[adamsr10]

ok well my water movement in my nano is far less that that of my 30 gallon and lighting the nano bulbs are over a year old and haven't been replaced yet... I have 225 watts of VHO on a 30 gallon tank so thats 7.5 wpg... the water quality is much closer watched in my 30 gallon as I have in with me at school while my nano sits at home in my moms office and only gets water changes/tests whenever I go home... which is far a few between... (yes I know I should test it more but my mom wouldn't know what to do and I don't go home often enough)
I'm soon changing to a 29 gallon tank that is shorter and longer which I will have a greater amount of LR in so I'll be able to aquascape the rock higher towards the light and hopefully this will also help. Thanks