stupid question about LR

[keith_cook]

I just ordered 60 lbs of coraline LR from gulf-view. I have also ordered a 96 watt PC hood with a 10,000k daylight and ultra actinic light. Is this going to be enough life to keep any of the cool hitchikers I recieve on Dales rock? Thanks in advance!

 

[slick]

Hey Keith does you lighting hood have 2 96 watt bulbs in it? And what size is your tank?

 

[keith_cook]

My tank is a 58 oceanic. I am pretty sure the light (oredered it today so I don't have it in front of me to look at) is just one bulb. Here's where I got it from.
<a href="http://www.***********.com/a_lt_pc_csl.asp?CartId=" target="_blank">http://www.***********.com/a_lt_pc_csl.asp?CartId=</a>
Its about half way down the page, its the smartlite 36", 96 watt PC.

 

[new]

i have that exact light on mine, it is a single bulb 50/50 6k.
looks like they upgraded the bulb since i got mine

 

[keith_cook]

Originally posted by new:
<strong>i have that exact light on mine, it is a single bulb 50/50 6k.</strong><hr></blockquote>
What size tank do you have? What are you keeping under this light? Just curious.

 

[slick]

Keith I think if you plan on making a reef tank you will need more light. There are many different opinions on this but as far as I understand it varies depending on what you are keeping but you will find people say anywhere from 3-10 watts per gallon. With your current set up you will only have 1.65 watts per gallon. You could get have mushrooms and maybe some other low light corals.

 

[mb4000]

I would use that light for awhile while the tank matures. You could keep a mushroom rock or two to spice up the tank. After a couple months then get a 2-96 watt setup with 10k bulbs. you can then change your 50/50 to an actinic and be able to keep some beutiful corals ( excluding hard corals I think ). You wll also have dawn/dusk controls.

 

[new]

i also have a 110w pc on the tank. it is a 75gal high. i have some button polyps and another type polyp that looks like a palm tree(forgot name). they all do well but i keep them high in the tank. also have a small piece of leather coral that hitched in on a rock that is doing well but all are high in the tank, not really enough light for much.

 

[memnoch]

I have 3watts per gallon and am doing nicely, mushrooms, xenia, green star polyps, and caulestria. All look great except the caulestria, it has it's good days and bad. My setup is 42 gallon hex, 24" in height. The mushrooms thrive on the bottom of the tank, the caulestria is about 3/4 to the surface, green stars are bottom and middle doing nicely, really thriving. The xenia is in the top one third and reproducing like crazy. Water quality is just as important as light to corals. Good water quality and 3watts/gallon is doable for lots of soft polyps which can be quite diverse in appearance.