What should i get?

shoorty069

shoorty069

Member
Okay, I know i need new lighting in my tank. Right now all i have is the basic lighting hood with 15watt lightbulbs from ***** that are supposidly good for reef...its also 50/50, whatever that means. I was wondering what i should look for, lighting, hoods, anything else.
I have a 55gallon tank with a few fish, some hermits, conchs, 12lbs of liverock, and an anemone. What lighting do you suggest? Im kind of on a steady budget, so the cheaper the better, if possible.
Thanks
ryan
 
G

guyute

Guest
most people will tell you that if you want to keep an anemone you should have metal halide lighting.
2x175w would do the trick on a 55.
 
shoorty069

shoorty069

Member
The only reason i have the anemone is for my clown fish. The guy at the LFS said he would be fine if the clownfish cared for it, which i was lucky that it does. I put krill in the tank and my clarkii takes it right to him. How much do these lights ususally run?
Ryan
 
thegrog

thegrog

Active Member
YOU HAVE AN ANEMONE IN A 55 GAL TANK WITH ONLY 15 WATTS OF LIGHITNG!?!?!?!? :scared:
In order to keep the anemone, you would need AT A MINIMUM 400+ watts of VHO or two 175watt metal halide bulbs (or two 150 w HQI (double ended) bulbs). Either way, not going to be cheap. The best you can really do as far as plug-n-go is a pair of 175 pendants on that big auction site (begins with an E) that will run you about $275 shipped. You can get it a little cheaper if you get retrofit kits.
If not prepared to spend that much money right NOW (or in the next few days), please return the anemone! It is dying as we speak due to lack of light. And in the future, please research the creatures you want to get BEFORE you buy them. Far too many beautiful sea creatures die a horrible death due to inadequate conditions from being put into unsuitable systems.
 
thegrog

thegrog

Active Member
Originally Posted by Shoorty069
The only reason i have the anemone is for my clown fish. The guy at the LFS said he would be fine if the clownfish cared for it, which i was lucky that it does. I put krill in the tank and my clarkii takes it right to him. How much do these lights ususally run?
Ryan
HUGE myth, clownfish don't need an anemone in the least. The guy at the store was either a total idiot, or was lying to sell it to you. He was 100% wrong about not needing the lighting.
 
airforceb2

airforceb2

Active Member
You will loose your anemone if you don't get it some light. They live on light. Your clown may take to the anemone but that means nothing as far as its health. Metal Halides run about $500-$1000 for a complete hood and all. If you search around and you are a do-it-yourselfer you can get it down to about $300 and you build the hood.
 
shoorty069

shoorty069

Member
Anyway, ive had it for about 2 months, its actually quite healthy. Im not sure what im doing, but its looking better every day. It has even grown since i got it. So, im sure its not suffering. The clownfish LOVES it.
ryan
 
airforceb2

airforceb2

Active Member
I'd remove that link as fast as possible. ***** sells more than just lighting and this site sells the same stuff as *****. Any 15W lights aren't strong enough...not matter what it says on the box. You need at least 500W of light in there.
 
thegrog

thegrog

Active Member
Originally Posted by Shoorty069
Can i maybe have a list of what a lighting system would include...bulbs, tops, whatever?
ryan
If you get pendants, they include the ballasts, cords, pendants and bulbs.
If you want to retrofit it, you will need the ballasts, wiring, bulbs, sockets, and somehting to mount it to. Keep in mind MH bulbs need to be kept 8-10" from the water surface.
As far as your anemone growing, it is stretching out trying to get the most light is possibly can. It is dying, and will die unless you do something quick.
 
tankgirl1

tankgirl1

Member
My Clarkii is anemone-less, but I know that I cannot get one in my tank anyway (36gal with crappy lights and a tight budget). He does not need an anemone to live, and I have actually heard that a koosh-ball will provide the same amount of happiness as an actual anemone.....not sure about the facts on that one, though. :notsure:
 
shoorty069

shoorty069

Member
haha, thats really funny. Just because you said that, i definately want to try that. i probably wont though...
ryan
 
tankgirl1

tankgirl1

Member
Actually, one of my co-workers has a 24 nano cube that the lights suck on, and he zip-tied a koosh ball to one of the rocks. The clowns host in it perfectly happily. That is my source of info though :happyfish Not sure if it is 100% good/bad. Let me know if you do it how it works out.
 
crazyaqua

crazyaqua

Member
Shorty if you find a lighting set up that will give you 2-4 watts of light per gallon you should be ok. I run 250 watts on my 55 no mh and my condy anemone has been living there for about 7 months. Not dead yet.
 
celacanthr

celacanthr

Active Member
shoorty if ur really worried about your clownfish needing to host (which it doesn't) alot of people put some large feather dusters in there and there clownfish will host em. This isn't a gauruntee that they will though.
 
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