Reef requirements

[75gallons]

I'm going to be setting up my first tank in the next few weeks and I'm planning on using some live rock to decorate the tank. Would this mean that i need to use reef tank quality lighting to get the rocks to grow anything? What are the basic lighting needs for a tank with live rocks?

 

[finland]

If you are not planning on adding corals, you can use normal output flourescent. You will get better coralline growth with higher intensity lights such as vho or pc, but it is not needed with a fish and lr tank. Vho or pc also make the tank look nicer IMO.

 

[wrassecal]

I assume this is a 75 gal. If you can swing it, I'd put at least 2 48" vho's on it. It will help the growth on the live rock, give you a better look to your tank and if you decide to ( and if you are like most of us you will) you could even have some low light soft corals like mushrooms. This would also be an investment in lighting that you will probably keep for the long haul and can add to. JMO

 

[bang guy]

If I had a 75 with just rock I would buy an IceCap 660 and hook up 3 Normal Output Bulbs and a VHO Actinic to it. Probably 3 GE Ultradaylight bulbs (very cheap) and a VHO URI SuperActinic.
This will give you a lot of light but you won't be spending a lot of $$ on bulbs. And, if you decide to add some corals in the future you're all set, just replace the NO with VHO. If you want to go intense lighting in the future you can still use the Ballast for MH light supplementation.

 

[murray bmf]

Don't go cheap-spend the money right now for quality stuff cuz if you are like the rest of us addicts you'll want to upgrade with bigger, better and more exotic stuff, then have to buy more stuff to support the new stuff etc.......

 

[wrassecal]

I think basically we are all saying start with something that you can continue to use and build on later, not something that you will end up needing to stop using as you upgrade. I second the icecap 660.