Reef Lighting

[shnabbles]

I was just down at the LFS and the guy was telling me the light i would need for corals was a coral life 260 watts and it cost 269.99 this would be for a 55 gallon tank....... Is this correct or could i get by with something less and for what price?
All i reallly plan on having is some anemoies for clowns and thats about it.

 

[flydan]

Hey,
Anemones need bright lighting. I've never tried to keep them and I've got JBJ power compacts. (4X65 watt) so they are the same wattage as the ones you are looking at. You might be able to get away with it but I'd rather not risk killing an anemone.
Maybe someone who has successfully kept one can give you a better answer.
HTH,
Dan'l

 

[thomas712]

I have kept up to 8 BTA's in one 90 gallon tank. Started with a 55 gallon and one BTA about 3 1/2 years ago.
My suggestion would be for you to look up lighting from hellolights - look for the retrofit kit or plug and play 440 watt VHO system, they are 48 inches long and might fit into a custom built canopy. This would allow you to house some anemonies like E.Quad's and other BTA's with little problem. Rose BTA's are really pretty, sebae(don't recommend them) or Condy's should do well under that lighting.
But it depends on what type of anemone you would like to keep.
Have you picked on one that you like?
Thomas

 

[gregvabch]

hey thomas, i bet that bubbletip tank looked pretty cool when you had all of them in there. you wouldn't happen to have any old pics of it would you? no biggie if you don't. what kind of lights were you running on it? also, my buddy pat has a bubbletip that he picked up a few months ago, and the only thing we can figure is that his lights are too bright (??) because all it does is hide. he's got a 20 gallon with a 24" coralife w/2 65W bulbs, 1 10,000K and one actinic. he's got a seabae that appears to be doing ok though.

 

[thomas712]

Originally posted by gregvabch
hey thomas, i bet that bubbletip tank looked pretty cool when you had all of them in there.
I still do, they still are in there. Here are the last two that split, into four. A fith one is hiding behind the rocks to the left, you can just make out its bubble tips.

 

[gregvabch]

that's a great pic thomas, they look really good. that's your 90? you never mentioned what kind of lights you're running over them...

 

[stapler]

Are those purple star polyps in the bottom corner there? I have green ones...and love them and want to get different colors.