wat corals can i have under this lighting?

[xd]

ok in my tank i bought a new lightbulb so i dont have the old stokc lighting the bulb was about 20$ and it was like coralife 10k, i think like 20 wats, my tank is 30 gallons, i have a couple mushrooms and they are doing grr=eat but i was wondering if i could do anything besides mushrooms?

 

[nick76]

Mushrooms is probably the best your going to get. you would need at least 3 to 4 watts per gallon to support any SPS. You have 0.6 wpg which means your mushrooms probably arent even fully opened. Best to upgrade your lights.

 

[nigerbang]

Wpg is pretty much bunk and outdated.. Allthough I don't think know of much else.. At any rate even going by "wpg" 3 to 4 I would still say weak for sps, except in abnormal shaped tanks, example mine is around 4-5 wpg..(this is one of the reasons it is outdated)but its a 400watt hqi over 92 corner.

 

[xd]

hmm maybe i got the wattage wrong, cuz i threw the box the light was in away a while ago so i dont really remeber but my mushrooms are going great. hmmm i want new stronger lighing but i dont want to have to go buy a whole new fixture, so wat bulb do u recomend i buy that will fit in a hood that came with the tank. or am i going to have to go buy another hood?

 

[xd]

well i actually decided i want to buy a whole new fixture instaed. the one i am looking at is Compact Fluorescent its 130 watts and its 175 dollars. is this a good deal and then wat kinds of corals would i be able to keep under that?

 

[grumpygils]

Originally Posted by XD
well i actually decided i want to buy a whole new fixture instaed. the one i am looking at is Compact Fluorescent its 130 watts and its 175 dollars. is this a good deal and then wat kinds of corals would i be able to keep under that?

That is way too much to pay for the fixture! You can get 130W PCs for ~60-70$
Mc

 

[cubsfan]

look in the classifieds here. lots of lights for sale

 

[xd]

hmmm well that was just the first one i looked at online, i havent looked in the lfs yet. but i dont kno why it would be so overpriced. hmmm could i post the link to where i saw it, or is that against the rules? maybe i forgot to mention sumthing that makes it so much more.

 

[xd]

ok heres some info on the fixture i was looking at
Coralife Lunar Aqualights Compact Fluorescent Strip Lights
* Combines the quality features of Aqualight Double Strip Lights with the added benefit of 3/4-watt Lunar Blue-Moon-Glow LED lamps
* Replicates the 24-hour day and night light cycle for your reef aquarium with ease
* Reliable performance encased in a stylish yet durable anodized aluminum housing
Lights combined with the added benefit of 3/4-watt Lunar Blue-Moon-Glow LED lamps. Replicates 24-hour day and night light cycle for your reef aquarium with ease. Features anodized aluminum housing, silent built-in electronic ballasts, 1 cooling fan (2 in the 72"), highly polished reflector, acrylic lens cover, 3 on/off switches and power cords for convenient independent timer operation. 7" x 2-1/2" high.

 

[xd]

obviously im not getting any feed back on that so anyways, im going to get 130 watt compact flourescents, now wat kind of corals can i keep under that lighting?

 

[nick76]

the whole fixture is 130 watts?
That will be some nice light, 4.3wpg
Id say your good with most SPS other than that i dont really know.

 

[nigerbang]

Do a search on SPS, Or look at some ppls pics of there SPS tanks...Ask about the lighting..Not trying to rain on your parade..You could have SPS with it for a little while..Until its goes brown and bleaches out...SPS rely souly on light....

 

[xd]

i wasnt planning on haveing a SPS tank, i just wanted something besides myshrooms like some zoos,xenia,or GSP would that lighting be strong enoughh for any of them? and some rics, how strong of lighting do rics need?

 

[nigerbang]

Originally Posted by XD
i wasnt planning on haveing a SPS tank, i just wanted something besides myshrooms like some zoos,xenia,or GSP would that lighting be strong enoughh for any of them? and some rics, how strong of lighting do rics need?
same as mushrooms...

 

[xd]

well i picked up a rock with some mushrooms on it. they look kinda like watermelon mushrooms but im not sure, but i got a rock with about 5 on it for 15 dollars so i guess that was a deal. and it also had a couple button polyps on it too. but im concered for them cuz i dont think my lighting is strong enough for them. will they die?

 

[05xrunner]

wpg means crap..PC is crap unless you want just softies and lps..but they wont have as nice of color on the LPS.
SPS needs good T5 light or MH..you could have 8wpg on PC and 4wpg of Metal halide would destroy those PC.
if you wanna get anything..Stay away from PC's and get a nice T5 fixture like a TEK or Aquatinics if you dont want MH.

 

[xd]

ok well i guess ill start looking for t5 fixtures instead. but arent they alot more expensive?

 

[nigerbang]

Originally Posted by XD
ok well i guess ill start looking for t5 fixtures instead. but arent they alot more expensive?
Upfront cost is higher...But they are better lights, Bulbs last longer and are cheaper then PC bulbs...Kind balances the price out in the long run

 

[xd]

ok well il start looking around for a nice fixture, wats a good brand for t5 fixtures and bulbs?

 

[nigerbang]

Originally Posted by 05xrunner
.
if you wanna get anything..Stay away from PC's and get a nice T5 fixture like a TEK or Aquatinics if you dont want MH.

Check into some Individual reflectors also..