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FAQs about Coral et al. Cnidarians System
Lighting, Designs, Fixturing
Related Articles:
Coral
Lighting: what we know and what we don't know (mostly the latter)
by Sara Mavinkurve
Lighting Reef Systems:
Considerations, Organisms, Goals and Costs by Bob FennerLight/Lighting For Marine Systems,
Coral Feeding, LPS Corals,
True or Stony Corals, Order Scleractinia,
Propagation for Marine Aquarium Use,
Related FAQs: Coral Lighting 1,
Coral Lighting 2, Coral
Lighting 3, Coral Lighting 4, &
FAQs on Coral Lighting:
Science/Application, Lamps/Bulbs,
Quality, Duration & Intensity,
Night-Time, Troubleshooting/Fixing,
Makes/Models/Manufacturers, &
Lighting Marine Inverts 1, Lighting
Marine Inverts 2,
Lighting Marine Inverts 3, Lighting
Marine Inverts 4, Lighting Marine
Inverts 5, Lighting Marine Inverts 6,
& LR Lighting,
Fluorescent Light 1,
Actinic Lighting,
Compact Fluorescents, Metal Halide
Lighting, Lighting Marine
Invertebrates, Growing
Reef Corals, Stony
Coral Identification, Stony
Coral Behavior, |
Best to start with a plan, regarding which species, groups you
intend to house... how they will be presented (high, low...) and
then research your lighting options to match their needs, range, and
your desires for growth, coloring, culture, maintenance... Do
calculate the cost of operation... principally electricity... and to
a smaller extent lamp and ultimately fixture
replacement/depreciation. |
Lost in the world of Lighting, corals 6/9/09
Greetings Crew!
<Hello Hans!>
I find myself returning once again to one of the few places of sanity on
the internet, when it comes to the world of aquaria. I'm also a lost
soul when it come to lighting, and have researched myself into total
confusion and contradiction. I have read books which say I would need a
minimum of dual 175w metal halides for mushrooms and Zoa's, and I see
forum posts saying that I can keep SPS corals under any lights. I'm sure
the truth is somewhere in the middle, but
<... quite a bit to take in... re this topic... If there is/were but
time, an education re "light basics" (science, use...) and technology
overall... then a delving into particular lines of manufacture to match
your needs, desires>
I'm in the process of updating my 18 month old 90gal tank from a FOWLR
to a reef tank, and am in need of advice in replacing the old twin tube
lighting it originally came with. I thought I had made a solid choice in
picking up a 4x55w PC retrofit set from AH supply. They come with high
quality individual reflectors as well as decent electronic ballasts. I
still have room to add another pair of lights, while still giving me
water access for feeding and general maintenance. I could go with an
8x55w set as well, but then my canopy I think would end up too cramped.
<Likely so... if this is a "standard" 55... only some 13 inches wide...>
I went with the PC's partly because of the recommendations that Bob
Fenner gave in the FAQ's ( Just in case this isn't Bob reading this.).
<He is, sleepily>
There was also the need to fit the lighting within my existing hood,
which ruled out MH's.
<Yes>
But the more research I do for the tank before going ahead to add the
corals, the more I am getting frustrated with my lighting choice. And
this frustration has kept me from adding a single coral, other than a
sparse few Zoa's and mushrooms that hitchhiked along with my live rock.
I just don't want to add a nice frogspawn, only to have it die from lack
of lighting.
<Euphyllias can be kept with boosted fluorescents>
My primary intent right now is for a mostly LPS and soft coral tank, and
going with a lower number of corals allowed to a grow large size. But I
don't want to totally remove the ability to keep a minimum of SPS, and I
have no problem with building up a structure to keep them high in the
tank.
Would a 6x55w PC setup as described above be sufficient for this, if
using the right bulbs?
<Yes>
Going by the numbers I've seen, it seems that PC's give up maybe 10% at
most (likely a few points less than that) efficiency compared to a T-5HO
with the same ballasts and equivalent reflectors. But, just because of
the dimensions of the hood I can fit more PC's than T5's without
overcrowding.
I'm partly convinced that much of the hatred for PC's comes from the
cheap and poorly designed fixtures with poor reflectors and too-small
openings for the bulbs, but then in the back of my head I think that
maybe I'm just trying to justify a purchase I already made. Did I make a
poor choice, and would I be better served by scrapping the existing
lighting again to swap for T5HO's?
<If I had the PC's already, I'd use them. Other "more intense" lighting
would get you more flexibility, faster growth, perhaps better
"colour"... but, at what costs, trade-offs?>
And, if this IS Bob reading this, would you still suggesting going with
PC bulbs? Or have more recent advances in lighting changed that opinion?
-Hans
<T'were it "day one" and today the day... I would opt for the T-5s over
the PCs, but you will be fine with what you have... I make a comparison
(hopefully semi-apt) twixt "running after" later, perceived-greater
computer technology (which I don't do) or camera gear (which I am guilty
of at times). Cheers, Bob Fenner>
SPS ID/Lighting 5/25/09
Do any of you know of any 30" T5 light fixtures that would meet my
Acropora's needs?
< I thought you'd never ask! >
I had to go and choose a tank size that's not the most common, so now
I'm not having much luck finding 30" fixtures.
< 30" is not a popular T5 fixture size, but there are a few on the
market.
The Current Sundial comes in a 30"
http://www.aquacave.com/current-usa-30-sundial-br-t-5-fixture-4x24w--led-2362.html
I run the 36" Sundial myself and have been keeping SPS with great
results. There are a few more out there. What you are looking for
is a 4 bulb
fixture with individual reflectors. The individual reflectors greatly
improve the efficiency of each bulb and are a critical component to
keeping
higher light needing organisms. >
Thanks again.
< You are very welcome. GA Jenkins >
Coral Tank Lighting, & T5 fixt. f' 2/14/09
Dear WWM
crew,
<Hello Rusty, Minh at your service.>
I plan to get a
6'x2'x2' 180 gallon rimless tank and I plan to make it a reef tank. I
currently have a 6ft T5 HO fixture that is 640W with 4X 460nm Blue
Antics and 4X 10,000k 50/50's. To be able to keep corals with moderate
to high lighting needs, how much more T5 HO lighting will I need to get?
I plan to hang the light above the tank since it is a topless, rimless
tank.
the tank will be 24" deep with a 12" tall pile of live rock in
the center that stretches 4ft long .
<This sounds like an excellent
project. You've chosen fantastic dimensions for a reef tank. Rimless no
less!>
Could I hang this lamp 10"-18" above the surface? Could I get
away with doing 4W per gallon or would I really need to get 6W per
gallon?
<The old "wattage per gallon" rule is a rubbish way to gauge
lighting intensity for a modern reef tank. With increasingly efficient
lighting methods, particularly T5 HO, a lot more intensity can be
squeezed out of fewer watts so let's think about lighting in terms of
intensity.>
What if I do more than 6W per gallon, would that cause
any damage?
<The question of adequate intensity and possible
over-saturation if you go with more lighting varies on two variables.
First, what type of T5 HO do you have? There are many fixtures with
various ballasts, reflectors and bulbs that all have varying intensity.
Second, what type of corals do you wish to keep specifically? A
mid-range set up like the Sunlight Supply Tek T5 HO fixture with 8 bulbs
would be adequate for most moderate to high light corals if hung closer
to the water surface, within the 6" range.
More powerful and
over-driven set ups, such as the Icecap/Aquactinics or ATI Powermodules
can be hung higher and still be quite intense. The type of bulbs can
also play a significant role in PAR production, you can review this page
for more PAR data on various T5 HO bulbs:
http://tfivetesting.googlepages.com/.>
I also plan to stock the tank
with 2 ocellaris clownfish, 4 green chromis, 3 Bartlett's anthias, a
purple tang, and a yellow tang. Would these fish be okay if I add the 2
tangs last as 2"-3" specimens?
<Purple Tangs are known as the most
aggressive fish in your selection so care should be taken in the
addition order. However, I suspect you should be fine in a tank of your
size.
Cheers, Minh Huynh.>
Metal Halide & T5's
Reef Lighting/Selection 1/29/09
Hey
guys,
<Hiya Wayne>
I'm looking at upgrading my lighting to Metal
Halides with two 24W T5 Actinics. Having a corner tank this posses at
lot of obstacles as you know.
My tank is 87cm, 87cm by 123cm bow
front and 60cm deep.
<Nice size tank.>
The options I currently
have are 1 x 250W, 1 x 150W or 2 x 150W all with electronic Ballast and
2 x 24W T5 Actinics, I know lighting does have a lot to depend on the
species kept. I do have a couple of soft and hard corals with a bubble
tip anemone, tree polyps and some mushrooms, but would love to keep a
clam at some point.
<The tank is a little long (48") to go with one
250, would be much better with two 175 watt halides. If you went with
14K lamps, you really wouldn't need the actinics unless you like the
effect. If actinics are used, then I would use 10K halide lamps. With
the depth of your tank (24"), the 150 HQI's will be cutting it close.>
Any advice will be of great help.
Cheers
<Good day my friend.
James (Salty Dog)>
Wayne
New Reef Tank Light Fixture 12/10/08
What do you think
of this light?
(http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=180305898295)
I have a 135 gal reef tank. I plan to keep clams and SPS.
Thank you,
Corey
<<Hey Corey. I'm skeptical, to be honest. What are the odds you
think, that those stamped-metal end pieces are powder-coated and not
just painted black? Or that those screws are stainless steel? I'm always
leery of such bargains, especially with electrical equipment/fixtures
like this one. And the fact that the seller doesn't list a manufacturer
(that I saw) is a red flag to me. As far as the type, number, and
wattage of the lamps this would be fine for your system… But were this
me, I wouldn't spend the money on this particular fixture. As Anthony C.
was/is so fond of saying… Few good things are cheap, and few cheap
things are good. So… You pay your money and take your chances… Cheers,
EricR>> Lighting
Help…T5s On A Deep Tank? – 10/16/08
Hello everyone.
<<Greetings>>
My question is, I have a 155 gallon saltwater tank 4
feet long by 2 feet wide by 2 ½ feet deep. Would I need metal halide to
keep anything other than softies or could I get high output T-5
lighting?
Thanks
<<Though this tank is considered “deep” at 30”
for reef keeping, the T5s can work. By maximizing the number of bulbs
over the tank (use as many as you can)…keeping “blue” bulbs to a minimum
(no more than 30% to maximize useful light penetration)…and utilizing
careful placement of livestock in regards to their height within the
water column (e.g. – lower light demanding species toward the bottom and
higher light demanding species toward the top)…I think you could keep
just about anything you could otherwise with MH lighting. Regards,
EricR>> Lighting
Upgrade, reef eventually 10/13/08
Hi guys,
How are
you going?
<Fine for the most part.>
After visiting my LFS, I have
changed my mind about the path I want to take in creating my first
marine tank. Originally, I was going to start with FOWLR and if all was
successful I would start to add the various invertebrates, until I met
the owner of my LFS. His advice was start with the invertebrates as
adding them after the fish would cause stress to the fish.
<This will
work.>
So, I come to you with questions about upgrading the lighting
fixture (I've been told my lighting is not sufficient). Currently, I'm
running a unit which supports two 54W T5 tubes at 10,000K. The tank is
75G/4 foot.
I was considering upgrading to a larger unit which can
support eight 39W T5 tubes also at 10,000K. If I upgrade to this unit
and I would like blue actinic bulbs, is their a recommended ratio of
blue to normal bulbs?
<Typically 3 or 4 daylights to every on
actinic.>
Also, (I may have overlooked this during my search on your
website) I'm trying to understand when the blues come on and go off and
when the normal bulbs come on and go off. Is there a recommended
schedule for this activity?
<The typical photoperiod should be 10-12
hours. You can have the actinics come on/go off ½-1 hour prior/after if
you wish to have a dawn/dusk effect.>
I will include some of the
animals that I'd like to have in this tank in the hopes that it will
help you give me some advice on making the right choice when it comes to
upgrading the light fixture.
Various snails and crabs
Mushrooms
Polyps
Pumping xenias
Leather corals
Tree corals
<The light
you mention will be fine for these.>
Thanks for the help and time you
guys put into the website. It really is a helpful tool. I look forward
to your reply.
Thanks again,
Nick
<Welcome, have fun setting
up. Scott V.> MH
HQI replacing PC's? And Cnid. incomp. non-action – 10/02/08
Hello there!
I have a real quick question on lighting that's pretty
unique, hoping for your suggestions. It's that time again to change my
MH HQI lamps and PC's (been 12 months). Currently the set up is two HQI
150 watts and two 96 PC actinics (Aqualight Pro) on a 90 gallon (48 x 18
x 24) that have recently been converted to a predominantly SPS tank
mixed in with some LPS's. SPS's are in the middle to upper half of the
tank and LPS dominates the lower portion of the tank with many Acans and
Blastos.
Now to my question, I have began noticing 70 watt HQI's in
the market recently and I am wondering if I could replace my PC's with
those to be used for supplemental lighting, I'd probably use a 20,000K
bulb. Well first off, is my current set up sufficient for SPS corals?
<Mmm... IF these were "elevated", placed "higher up" closer to the
lights... likely perched on rocks or such, yes>
Second, I think a 70
watt MH HQI will penetrate much deeper than a 96 watt actinic PC
<Mmm, am not such a fan of actinics period... they don't do much
functionally. Read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/lighting/actinicfaqs.htm>
plus I
save some money on the monthly electricity bills! What do you think?
Would this be a realistic option, using a 70 watt 20,000K as
SUPPLEMENTAL lighting?
<Mmm, yes, or even principal...>
Oh and one
more, sorry, I know I said one quick question! My Micromussa
accidentally came in contact with my Torch Coral recently (thanks to a
very mobile Fighting Conch), and most of it has disintegrated within 8
hours. I checked it the morning and they were fine until I came home
from work. There are maybe one or two heads they weren't affected,
should I cut them off from the disintegrated meat or just leave it
alone?
<I'd leave as is (though re-separated of course),... it may
well be that the "empty", "melted-off" heads will be repopulated in
time>
Thank you for any assistance you can provide!
Jay
<Welcome Jay. Bob Fenner>
Re: MH HQI replacing PC's? – 10/02/08
Thanks for the quick
reply!
<... welcome>
So would just the two HQI 150 watt 10,000K be
sufficient for the SPS (perched on rocks from one foot below surface to
near surface)?
<Mmm, yes>
My plan is to create a dusk to dawn
effect by turning on the two 96 watt actinics and then turning then off
when the MH come on. then midway through the day have another two 70
watt MH come on.
What do you think? Is this light sufficient?
<...
Is, in terms of photonic strength>
Thanks again!
<Welcome. Bob
Fenner>
T5 Lighting vs. Metal Halide - Question From Non-Electronical
Housewife! :) – 02/21/08
Thank you ahead of time for your
expertise.
<<Ah well, let’s hope I prove worthy of your
confidence [grin] >>
I know you have the answers and your crew
has been such a valuable asset to me while I fumble along with my
aquariums.
<<Bob and I/the rest of the Crew are pleased you find
the site useful>>
I have a soft coral tank, plus one Montipora.
It is a 29 gallon aquarium, AGA, and it has inside of it, a large
reef which is approximately 35 lbs of rock, with many corals. I have
Ricordea, xenia, leather coral, pulsating xenia, Kenya, colt,
Montipora, clove polyps, Zoas, red ball sponge, gorgonians, star
polyps of two or 3 kinds, mini clove polyps, mushroom and Rhodactis
and I'm forgetting something, but it's mostly soft stuff, except the
Monti which has its own place.
<<Mmm, quite a “mix”>>
I am
running a UV filter head, a 1200 powerhead, a 2 sided biofilter unit
<<I don’t know what this is…do you mean a two-sided “bio-wheel?”>>
and a heater set to 78. I have an overflow and a built refugium and
an Oceanic skimmer I could use or the Visi-Jet skimmer which will
fit into the 10 gallon refugium better...and am deciding which way
to go, but for now, this is running okay.
<<Hmm…my advice would
be to get a different/better skimmer altogether. Perhaps one of the
offerings from AquaC…>>
The rock is not new, just 2 pieces. I
didn't intend to do the Monti but it was a gift. So...it's in there.
First off, I don't have a clue how to tell if it's alive or not.
<< A valid point I reckon…if your only exposure thus far has been
“softies”… My wife, who is “not” a hobbyist, tells me my SPS
colonies look like nothing more than colored-sticks to her. I
suggest you visit some store and/or friends tanks and start learning
what to expect/see in a healthy specimen. At least do some perusing
re on the NET>>
It's kind of a pinkish, peachy brownish color and
it's pretty.
<<Most Montipora species have pronounced/easily seen
polyps…do take a close look>>
I have it on top of the reef about
8" beneath the lighting I just put in.
<<Be cautious of harming
this coral (all your corals) if the “new” lighting is of greater
intensity than previous. Please read here re light-acclimation of
corals (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/acclimcoralslight.htm)>>
We
have new lighting, which brings me to why I actually wrote. :)
<<Okey-dokey>>
I moved the contents of the 29 from an older
Eclipse 2 conversion, and I wanted better lighting for my BTA . (oh,
did I tell you that I had a BTA until yesterday when it sucked up
into a powerhead?) I will be getting another one.
<<Please
reconsider… The size of this system and the mix of animals within
are not proper for an anemone. More reading here
(http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm)
and among the links in blue>>
I bought T5 lighting for this tank
to save money and to run cooler, because the tank is not large.
<<Is likely quite suitable>>
Just 30" across and not very tall,
an average 29 gallon tank, and I worried that it may overheat with
Halides.
<<Is a concern, yes>>
I got 4 bulbs, 10k each. 2
blue and 2 white.
<<Mmm, not all 4 are 10K…the “blue” will be a
shorter (Actinic) wavelength and of less use/good to your
photosynthetic animals>>
39 watts each in one fixture, and it's
36" long, so it has a bit of overhang, but the lights seem to stop
just after the edge anyway, so there really isn't much light going
over, if any at all. It has legs also. Then, I got a smaller 24"
Corallife 14 watts x2 one blue and one white 10k bulbs.
<<I
wondered what that was in the photo>>
So, the total wattage is
184 watts of T5 lighting on the aquarium.
<<Quite adequate for
the livestock you have (though I would be inclined to replace at
least one of the 39w Actinic bulbs with another 10K bulb)…and sans
any anemones.>>
The aquarium is a 29 gallon aquarium and it comes
out to about 6.34 watts per gallon.
The questions are:
1.)
Will the T5s support the Montipora, corals I listed, and a BTA?
<<The sessile inverts will be fine, but again…please, no motile
inverts for this tank>>
2.) What is the ratio for Halide lighting
when compared to T5 lighting? Is it 1.85 watts of T5 to every 1 watt
of Halide?
<<A useless comparison/measurement in my opinion. The
“watts-per-gallon” rule doesn’t take in to account the fact the
differing lighting technologies/bulb manufacturers/Kelvin ratings
don’t compare “equally” watt-for-watt. Don’t get hung-up on
watts-per-gallon>>
I had seen an online chart where they said
that 216 watts of T5 equaled 400 watts of halide and did the math
and so the ratio from that equation was 1.85T/1H, however I do not
know if this is accurate or not.
<<Equal…? How so? The T5
lighting is more “efficient” re energy consumed per Lumen of output
(measured at 12” from the bulbs), but even at equal wattages, the
fluorescent light source (T5) wouldn’t equal the intensity/PAR value
of the single-point light source (metal halide) when penetrating
water. At least for the moment, metal halide gives more “bang for
the buck” re PAR values/water penetration than the other lighting
options, although, the new LED systems claim differently…but at the
higher Kelvin ratings (15000K). I’m not saying the T5s aren’t good
technology, and I’m not saying the T5s can’t perform well for
you/many hobbyists (I’ve seen pictures of some beautiful stony-coral
tanks lit with nothing but T5s)…I’m just saying they don’t “equal”
metal halides in a head-to-head test of practical “reef aquarium”
performance>>
3.) If this won't be sufficient, would a 150 watt
MH be more sufficient in replacement of the T5s?
<<If you heed my
advice on the anemone, the T5s will be fine>>
My T5s have one
single plate per fixture. They are not individual reflectors, and I
am concerned I didn't buy them correctly, as I didn't know.
<<The
function/presence of the reflector(s) is important…but each bulb
does not have to have its “own” reflector>>
For what I bought,
what do you think about them with my setup?
<<As stated…the
lighting fixtures you have should be just fine for your “current”
livestock>>
Here is a photo of how it looks tonight.
<<This is
a very nice/attractive display. I see no reason to switch to metal
halide lighting…and I certainly wouldn’t upset the balance with the
inappropriate addition on an anemone>>
Thank you so much, in
advance.
Renee
<<Is a pleasure to share. Eric Russell>> | 
|
Lighting For Montipora digitata - 12/31/05
HI Bob,
<<EricR
here today...>>
Hope this email finds you well.
<<I am, thank
you>>
You may not remember, but we had discussed the proper housing
of Anthias, in particular the squamipinnis with the purple eyes (lyre
tail) and your suggestion of 1 per 50 gallons or 1 per 15 seems to be
working well! I have 3 females in a 150 and so far none have changed to
male and are fed 2 to 3 times a day and seem to
be doing well.
<<Interesting that none have started to change. I had two females in a
375 and the dominant female began to change in just a couple
weeks...though this was quickly reversed with the introduction of two
full-blown males...but enough about me <grin>.>>
Thank you. That
was a little off the main reason to email you, but just wanted to thank
you.
<<That Bob is a pretty smart fella.>>
Now here is the
deal. I purchased a couple Montipora
digitata in green and
purple. Colors went to brown (though the green which was aquacultured
kept the color to a certain degree) when I moved to my 150, I know I
need to upgrade my lighting to bring out the colors in these cool
SPS. Here is the confusing part. I have CP that are 8 months old, with
2 10k and 2 actinic.
<<Best to go all 10K here, though at 65w (read
ahead) you'll need to keep the bulbs close to the water's surface, and
the Montipora in the top third of the tank.>>
I am going to be
replacing them and use the sunscreen method of acclimation. Now I read
that you can just change the lights at night and in the morning they may
all recoil, but adjust eventually.
<<Mmm, no...you still need/is
best to acclimate over several days.>>
I thought the light shock
would kill them, but I read they just look crappy for a short time and
adjust......your thoughts?
<I don't agree with this. While many
corals can/will make the adjustment, you are submitting them to
unnecessary stress that can kill more sensitive species.>>
Next, I
wanted to add a spectrum to bring out the color (maybe new
lights
would do it) and I talked to and read a TON of things and the range of
advice and suggestions are so different, I decided to email you.
<<And with all that reading you should have found that more than
lighting effects coral color...though an increase in intensity will
likely help you with the Montipora you mention.>>
One person said
use a 20k with my 10k and actinic. Another says do NOT use 20K just use
a 3rd 03 actinic. Then I read that 6500k is what they want for
color. WHO IS RIGHT?????
<<Everybody...nobody...many times it comes
down to the individuals own sense of aesthetics.>>
I am going nuts
here! lol!
<<Understood>>
I am going to order 2 96w to retrofit
with my 2 65w 10k and 2 65w actinic. I am just moving everything close
to the surface (I do not want to get into MH, or HQI, sorry)
<<ok>>
What would your suggestion be to the color temps?
<<10K...contains
plenty (more than enough) light in the blue spectrum for the coral's use
without making your tank look like Papa Smurf peed in it.>>
One
person said make the 2 96w actinic, one said make them 20K and another
article says 6500K! I have a 6500K 500 watt CF over my Heteractis
magnifica and he seems pretty happy.
<<Yes, the 6.5K bulbs generally
produce more PAR per watt...are also considered the best spectrum for
coral growth.>>
Should I try and see if putting them under the 6500k
would work? (only 84 CRI, so my anemone is at the surface right under)
<<Up to you>>
NOW I did put a green zoanthid under the
6500k and it turned brown until I moved it away. (obviously the
symbiotic zooxanthellae over producing)
<<yes>>
BUT it seems
that does not apply to the Montipora........that turning brown/tan means
not enough light?
<<Is likely, yes>>
I am very confused, please
let me know soon, as I want to put an order in for the right lights.
<<10K gets my vote...>>
Take care!
Carrie :)
<<Regards,
EricR>>
Re: Lighting For Montipora digitata - 01/01/06
Eric,
<<Carrie>>
Thanks for the reply! Especially on a Saturday
you devoted web media crew member, you! lol!
<<Hee! That Bob is a
real slave driver <JK> >>
First about the Anthias.......which
species do you have?
<<Same as you...Pseudanthias squamipinnis>>
Bob's web page, Saltcorner.com, or his contribution to it, was what made
me make the decision to even try them. Mine is Bob's favorite,
Pseudanthias squamipinnis.
<<Hmm, I wonder if you have your "Bobs"
confused? The "Bob" at Saltcorner.com is Bob Goemans...the "Bob"
associated here (WWM) is Bob Fenner...>>
Problem being, someone
buying many females and one male and the male dying, next female
changing to male, THEN dying, until all dead. This is the case with
many of the Anthias from what I read.
<<But for a few species, most
do seem to be inappropriate for the average home aquarist. Either we
just don't know enough about their nutritional requirements or they
don't/can't tolerate the rigors of capture/transportation.>>
That is
why I emailed Bob.
<<Ah, but which Bob? <grin> >>
So my 3 girls
were in a 60 gallon for 3 weeks (with all the LR it was like 15 gallons
each!) then a 150 so far for 2 weeks. None have changed and seem about
the same size.
<<Mmm...perhaps these are all juvenile
fish?...possibly too small yet to change...>>
Now I don't know if
this way LETS one of the females change to a male on its own thus
preventing deaths?? Not sure exactly the reason for the
formula.....maybe Bob can enlighten both of us.
<<I don't believe
the "formula" has anything to do with sexing these fish. I think Bob's
intent was to provide a guideline to ensure a tank of proper size for
the number of fish kept. Regardless of tank size, the most dominant
female will become male when mature enough.>>
On to the
lighting......thanks for adding to the confusion! lol! Just kidding!
<<Agreed <G>, much to consider (coral specie, depth of occurrence,
etc.)...and no 'one' perspective can cover all.>>
One article I read
was that the TRUE actinic 03 was NEEDED for coral growth as it simulates
dawn and dusk which is the optimum time for spawning/growth etc.
<<The so called "dawn/dusk" cycle is more for the aquarist than the
coral, though it can/does help with easing fishes to bed. Bear in mind
that very little we do/can do with our tanks truly simulates
nature...luckily these animals we keep are very adaptable. But saying
that, the dawn/dusk cycle is fine if you wish to have one, but as an
add-on, not as a partial replacement to existing lighting.>>
This is
why I got 2 10k and 2 actinic.
<<Too much actinic in my
opinion. Better to go 3 to 1 respectively.>>
Now I have already
ordered and got lamps for 8.50 each!
<<Cheap!>>
On line
Innovativelights.com. I know you cannot put that in your web page,
<<Sure we can.>>
but for you personally, and the rest of the
crew...enjoy!
<<Thanks!>>
Okay now as for the 20k.......what is
your thought on that?
<<Thought I did in the previous email...too
blue for my taste on a general scale...does not provide a true color
rendering. If you were keeping deep-water corals the 20K would be fine,
but it has much more blue in the spectrum than your SPS
need/require...and just maybe...not enough in the red/yellow spectrum
for optimum health/vigor.>>
Isn't the 20k so close to actinic
anyhow?
<<Not really, no. Some good reading here, and among the
indices in blue:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/lighting/actinicfaqs.htm >>
I do LOVE how my corals glow at dawn and dusk with the actinic!
<<Many folks do!>>
I would like to see that a little more, esp., if
the digitata favored it.
<<Mmm...sounds like you might be better of
with deeper water LPS/Corallimorphs than SPS...>>
I think Papa Smurf
has magic pee if he can make corals glow! lol!!!!
<<Ha!...not magic,
but does give all a blue cast...>>
I just want the light that is the
most beneficial,
<<Then you need move toward a natural daylight
spectrum.>>
so I had already bought 3 6500k 65w (gives off 500
watts, but only 84 CRI.....how deep would that penetrate the water?
<<Depends <G>...water clarity/height of bulb above the water/age of
bulbs...all things being optimum, should work fine for an 18" deep tank
with higher light demanding species in the top half of the tank.>>
I
know I am moving the corals up) fixtures based on my research for
optimum growth. Here is the problem as I see it...... 6500k makes for
more algae
<<That should tell you something about spectrum and
growth potential.>>
and besides, are the Montis a shallow or deep
coral?
<<Is generally found in shallow reef environments/mud
flats. I have green, purple, and German blue M. digitata and orange M.
foliosa under 250w 10K metal halides. All express their best color and
most vigorous growth under intense lighting. The blue digitata in
particular will "brown out" under the slightest bit of shading.>>
If
so, wouldn't the 6500k be the wrong spectrum?
<<Is "perfect"
actually. Even the 6.5K contains plenty of "blue" light for the corals
needs.>>
I guess you are saying use 10k in all 4 65W and BOTH 96W?
<<Would be "optimum" in my opinion, yes.>>
I really would like the
dawn/dusk for them. Maybe 2 65W actinic, 2 65W 10k, and 2 96W 10K?
<<This is a viable alternative.>>
What is all the hype about the
20k????
<<s you have already noticed/stated...makes the corals
glow/look more blue.>>
My thoughts were to put 2 20k for the 96w.
<<Not the best option for your SPS.>>
Sorry to make you crazy, just
paying you back! lol! kidding, kidding........
<<Tee hee! No
worries mate, was/is an enjoyable exchange.>>
Have a great weekend
and if possible have Bob read this to see what his thoughts are.
<<Don't trust me eh? (kidding you back <G>). Bob (Fenner) may be able
to CC Bob Goemans re.>> >Will gladly send her's to BobG if requested.
RMF<
Take Care!
Carrie :)
<<Regards, EricR>>
Deep
Water Coral Lighting
Dear WWM Crew,
<whassup?>
I have been
reading through your archives and articles for the past few days trying
to make a final decision on a new reef lighting system. I have learned
so much in this time, I am bordering on brain fry. This has become the
best informative online site for aquarium keeping by far. I really do
like how it has changed in the year and a half since I regularly visited
your site.
<agreed... the evolution and progress, a pleasure to
behold/experience for all>
My reef is 36" by 18" by 18" with a 2-3
inch sandbed. I used to have an extensive collection of Euphyllias,
corallimorphs, deep water brains, gorgonians and various sp. of green
finger leathers. I did my best sticking to deep water corals and all
was fine until I joined the local aquarium society. Stupidly I followed
a LOT of bad advice from them and over lighted my tank losing most of
these corals.
<the aquarium society was a good move, alas... the
consensus from counsel may not have been>
I've had it in my head that
MH is the way to go for reef keeping-more bang for the buck-then I
stumbled across Anthony's reef lighting for invertebrates article. This
one god sent article has cleared up so much misinformation I've learned,
thank you so much Anthony for taking the time to write it and thank you
WWM crew for putting it on your website.
<a labor of love, but
grateful to hear/offer it>
But I am still confused. I want to
upgrade from my SO lights and several places on this site recommend low
watt MH or HQIs and several places say these are still too high when it
comes to deep water corals.
<depends, but I am inclined to
disagree. Also depends on tank depth. For your shallow aquarium... 100
watt double-ended 10K HQIs would be excellent. A good balance between
color, efficiency, longevity>
It is the same with VHO, some places
say these are great for supplemental lighting only, and others say these
would be perfect for deep water corals. I personally don't like PC's
except as supplemental.
<VHO combos are tried and true with many LPS.
My fave for color, but not very economical regarding lamp replacement
(every 6-10 months). FWIW, the last light system I just bought for a
reef tank was a VHO system with split blue and daylight lamps. Keeping
soft corals in it>
I realize that this subject is tempered by
opinion, but I would love to get my tank back to the deep water garden
it used to be-the right way. Please, please, please...can someone help
me clear this confusion up? Thanks so much, Chris
<Either two
100-watt HQIS (10K) or 4 VHO lamps would do very nicely here. No
worries. Best regards, Anthony> Corals for Actinic Blue only
lighting systems? 2/17/04
I ran across your web page during a
search for corals that would be happy in my 26 gallon saltwater
aquarium. My lighting system consists of two PC 65 watt actinic blues.
Are there any corals I can keep in my tank with actinics only? Would the
Elegance coral survive under actinic only? Thanks, Roel
<there are
very few if any photosynthetic corals that will survive under blue
actinic light only. What you can do is find a hardy aposymbiotic species
that is indifferent to light and will survive by your diligent
daily/weekly feedings. Tubastrea is a fine choice if you will feed it
well. Anthony> Lighting upgrade for Soft and LPS coral -
2/13/04
Ok here we I have ninety gallon reef 4 inch DSB with 65
pounds of live rock so there's open substrate. <Cool. Sounds really
nice>
The critters are a large four head frogspawn a large yellow
finger leather with various frags placed thru out the tank.
<Excellent> There's four med sized Toadstool mushrooms. <Love these
corals> Also different types of mushrooms, there's a
Candycane. Various Ricordea at different levels in the tank. <Beautiful
choices>
For the most part our interest is in soft corals but we are
leaning to few LPS here n there. <OK> Our objective is to be able to
propagate softies and keep a few choice LPS here n there.
So were
stuck on lighting with these type of animals would a dual metal halide
system be the best choice? <Might be overkill but a couple of 250s would
probably be a good fit> Or what about a VHO Ice cap retrofit 4 bulb at
440 watts with dimmer. <Sure. Is there a problem with the lighting you
have now? Sounds like things are growing well>
I really want that
extra growth I figure with my improving husbandry habits and every other
day feeding with excellent lighting I can achieve our objectives. <A
good plan, in my experience. Very good to hear that you are such a
Conscientious Marine Aquarist!. Either one of the plans for lighting
would be fine. Go with what fits your budget and space. Should be fine!
~Paul>
Thanks.
LCS 10 in depth of water 2/12/04
I
have s quick question, If my tank is only 10in deep can I use SO
fluorescents (of the appropriate temp), changed regularly, in
conjunction with T5's to light Euphyllia, Sarcophyton, Heliofungia,
Pachyclavularia, Plerogyra, Catalaphyllia, Trachyphyllia? Could I
possibly go to 12 in depth. Also, I will have an 11 inch sand base under
them, and of course live rock in the tank so some corals could be placed
higher if needs be.
All of the corals you listed will tolerate SO
fluorescents with no problem, even if you increase the depth a bit. I
would recommend that you try to get four lamps per foot of tank width
and cover the entire length (four lamps over a 55 or six over a 75, for
example).>
Is the sand bed to deep? In the main tank I don't want the
sand dissolving under the coral and lowering them, could you recommend a
sugar fine sand that doesn't dissolve.
<I don't think 11" of sand is
too deep, but after about 6" I don't think you will reap much additional
benefit. You also have to take into account the tradeoff of diminished
water volume. If the only goal is to get the corals closer to the
light, then I wouldn't bother. Any aragonite based sand will
dissolve. Silica sand will not dissolve, but it's use is
controversial.>
I will be using Aragamax in the sump to help with
buffing as well as a calcium reactor. Finally, water changes are very
important and I do them frequently but as many people know what ever you
spend on your equipment initially pales in comparison to what you will
ultimately spend in upkeep. I am trying to set up a system that meets
all the animals needs but is cost effective over time. Since I do 25%
water changes every week the expense of salt is killing me, any help in
getting less expensive salt that will get the job done.
<I too
believe in the importance of water changes, but unless you have
tremendous input, 25% per month should be more than OK. I can often
find IO brand salt for about $10 per bag and less than $40 per 200gal
bucket. Getting any brand for any less than that will be a challenge.>
I know many people say just have better filtration, but I have an
excellent protein skimmer etc., low contaminants, I have just found
water changes help allot, maybe its diffusing all the things we can't
test for like chemical warfare etc...I just don't want to stop using
them as they have worked for me. What do coral farmers do about the
huge amount of salt they need for their systems? Thank you Greg
<Again, you have my agreement about the benefit, but you may get 90% of
the benefit with half of the water changes. Small amounts of regularly
changed carbon will help too. Any business with large systems simply
buys salt in large quantities. Since a large part of the cost is
freight, buying in pallet quantities saves cost. Also, some large
commercial facilities re-use water, sending "used" water from SPS
systems to soft coral, fish only or live rock systems for example. Hope
this helps. Adam> Coral Propagation Lighting 2/27/04
Last week in Seattle I attended a lecture by Anthony Calfo on coral
propagation/farming. Thanks Anthony, I found the discussion very
interesting. I enjoyed your articulate and humorous delivery. It's
obvious from listening to you that you have a real love for marine life
and the reefs.
<thanks kindly my friend... I truly had a fun time!
:)>
In your discussion about your experience of propagation in
Pennsylvania you mentioned that you used a green house and natural
lighting.
<yes... natural lighting almost exclusively>
I am
preparing for starting a propagation program myself but had planned to
use artificial lighting (T-5) .
<yikes! Well... I think its great you
can afford to establish a charity <G>>
Do you feel that an
artificially lit aquiculture facility would not be able to be profitable
due to cost of lighting?
<I am certain of it. Personal experience,
the shared wisdom of others... and above all: the numbers/statistics.
Calc your rates of growth at present and salability of corals against
what it costs you to buy and operate lights... plus replace those
fluorescent lamps every 6 months just to try to maintain growth. You can
indeed grow corals under lamps... but very little profit to be made. If
you need/want to make money... you need to harness natural sunlight, my
friend. Anthony> Lighting a tank of coral; MH or no? -
4/25/04
Hi, I love your site. I'm learning a lot. <So am I
thanks ro being here> Converted to salt from fresh. <As did I>
I
have a 110 gal corner tank 30" depth. Have about 60-70lbs of live rock
and corallite base 1-1.5" thick. I have about 12 snails various sizes. 8
hermits 3blue leg 2 red legs and 1 cleaner shrimp. I have only 3 Chromis
so far but I'm planning on adding 2 convict tangs (I still have a slight
algae problem). <A very new tank I assume. I too, have a similar set up
but with 2 cleaners and no convicts.>
I want to start adding coral,
but I need to work out the lighting first. <No, I think it to be wise to
decide what kind of coral first and foremost> I don't want to spend
several hundred dollars (plus the cost of bulb replacement every
2000hrs) if I don't need to. <While I understand this, I feel it is
something that should be somewhat expected based on the hobby and life
at stake. Of course, there are some cheaper substitutions to be made for
sure, but be prepared for some cost.>
I have a 500W compact
fluorescent that works great for the fish only. <Can work for coral as
well>
For corals I have heard that I need MH, then others say I
don't; <Kind of depends on what corals you plan to have but I have seen
many types of corals grow in many types of lighting environments>
..
that VHO's and compacts are just as good and cheaper to operate. Which
is true? <Both. MH are excellent coral growing lights (depending on the
corals to be grown) but again, I have seen and personally have had
outstanding coral growth from PC and VHO. (plus there is a slight
advantage in initial cost of setup pf PCs and VHO but I think that it
becomes even if not more of an advantage (watt per watt) to the MH over
the long haul of operation. I personally cannot back this statement
scientifically, but there are some studies by Sanjay Joshi on coral
growth and I think cost as well. Do a search or check out his page at:
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/s/b/sbj4/aquarium/aquarium.html
>
If I do need MH, in order to save the bulb life and operating cost
I was thinking of putting a single 150W MH on timer as a supplement with
the compacts. <Seems a standard setup to me. Tried and true. I think you
should read a bit on the lighting of reef invertebrates from our WetWeb
perspective to gain what is needed when determining how to light
invertebrates. Here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/index.htm Check out
our lighting section under that link>
I was going to set up the MH
to come on 2 hours after the compacts and shut off 2 hours before to try
kind of a sunrise/sunset simulation. <DO look at our section on lighting
and then decide what corals you plan to keep. From there you decide the
best cost effective setup for the needs and health of your
inhabitants.>
Two 2 questions. Do I really need MH at all? <Depends
on the coral, money you have to spend the short answer is no!>
Am I
over engineering this? <Not really, but keep the choice of your animals,
their needs, their health, and their sustainability, and growth rates
you desire in mind when make your choice. Maybe look at the overall long
term cost of operation, and your long term choices of animals to make
the best decision possible>
Thanks, John <Thanks
~Paul> Lighting over a 50g tank 7/9/04
Thanks in
advance for your excellent advice as always. I have a 36" 50G tank
which has a mix of soft corals and xenia (been trouble free for
3yrs). I'm currently running a DIY VHO/no (icecap) hood with 3x95wt and
1x30wt, 50/50 and 03 mix. I have cooked 2 bulbs at the end caps in the
last year, and I'm beginning to worry about the fire hazard aspect of my
hood.
<I have two guesses about your lighting... One, the NO's were
the ones that fried, second, that you only have one of the two contacts
in each end cap wired (or a couple are loose). The electrodes in NO
lamps will definitely burn up faster if overdrive (as they are on an
Icecap). Also, even with VHO lamps, if you run all of the current
through one pin, it will overheat the electrode also. These problems
can create enough heat to melt waterproof end caps.>
I'd like to
switch to MH. I've had good luck with MH on my
other tank. my
question is about the fixture. being an open top goofy (37.8") tank,
I'd like to go with a pendant. the 48" dual light pendants would space
the lights out too far, I'd think. I though about going with 2 bell
shapes closer together, but I'd really like to only have 1 pendant. Do
you think I could get away with a single bulb?
<PFO and Aquatic
Technology will make custom length MH reflectors, so this may be an
option. You certainly could get away with one lamp as long as you were
sensitive to the limitations of the low light at the ends of the tank.>
250wt would be enough? I'm not sure if the horizontal regular or HQI
would give better horizontal coverage. I really don't have any
high-light corals near the edges of my tank. If I can go with one bulb,
should I do 150 or 250? 10k or 20k? thanks again for the advice.
<Wattage should be based on tank depth, not coverage. For such a
shallow tank, 175W would be plenty. As far as coverage, you may
consider using a higher wattage lamp and hanging it higher above the
tank or seeking out a fixture meant as a "flood light" which will give a
wider beam spread. It will be hard to find a fixture that will give you
good coverage over the length of the tank without spilling/wasting light
in front of and behind the tank. I would just live with keeping lower
light animals on the sides. As for 10K vs. 20K, you will get more
intensity watt for watt from the 10K, but beyond that, the choice is
largely aesthetic. Best Regards. Adam> Nano lighting for
corals
I am about to setup a new nano reef aquarium and I am not
sure if I understand the reasons for using actinics and daylights. I
was hoping to use a 2x36 watt retrofit over a 16 gallon cube with 1 bulb
being actinic and the other being a 50/50. I am wondering if this would
be a bad idea as some people are saying that actinics don't help with
corals? I would like to keep hard, soft, and LPS as well. I had an
older tank with half and half and it just looked to yellow to me so any
help would be useful thank you.
>>>Greetings
First of all I
think you're being a bit over optimistic thinking you'll be keeping SPS
corals under such lights. Most of those corals need *AT LEAST* 150 watt
metal halides, some need PAR values much higher, up in the range of what
400watt bulbs provide. Some Monitpora species, M. digitata for instance,
may do OK under your lights, but don't count on it. Softies, as well as
LPS such as the various Euphyllia species should do just fine. Mushrooms
and zoanthids will do very well. Stick with the low light corals.
Anyway, no the corals do not need actinic lighting. It DOES however
bring out the colors much better. I recommend using one 10K bulb, and
one actinic. You'll like the looks of the tank much better that way.
Peace
Jim<<< Nano Lighting
Hello,
I just started a
10 gall nano tank today (reef nano)!!! And I was wondering what is the
correct amount of watts for such a small tank??? My L.F.S. said 34 watts
should be plenty to keep a lot soft corals in a nano. What do you guys
think??? I got an 18 right now so I don't know if I should buy another
18 watter.
Thank so for your time
>>>Hey Alex,
There is no
'correct' wattage, but anything above 24 watts seems to enable the
keeping of a wide variety of low light inverts. I would definitely get
another 18 watt fixture, or even a 24 or 32 watter to add to you 18 watt
unit.
Regards
Jim<<<
Anemone and Coral Lighting
Hey Anthony... Greetings from
Asbury Park, NJ
<Buon Giorno, Eduardo!>
I have been reading
your Daily Q&A's for about a week now, and I even submitted my own
question concerning my anemone and lighting. Today I noticed a
little 'dig' in one of your responses concerning the 'Jersey Shore'.
Something about needles in the sand, plastic and garbage. We may not
have coral, but to our credit we do have Bruce Springsteen, Atlantic
City, The Sopranos and about every 3rd male in our population who
share the same name as you. LOL
<Heheh...joke as I may about
'Jersey, you are correct... it is really a gem. Hey, and don't
forget about Jon Bongiovi (punk took the stage name of Bob Jovi...
like that is much different?!?) But indeed, The Boss was worth it
alone. And... there's nothing better than picking up my grandparents
and taking a drive down to Cape May and Atlantic City. Imagine my
surprise each time, though, when I discover that we're not the only
Lincoln with black windows full of Italians pulling into the Taj.
Ha!>
On a more serious note, you recommended I go with a 175 W
metal halide for my 60 hex (to replace my 2 15 watt fixtures) in
order to keep my anemone happy (or happier). I am going to use a
pendant and I was told to be concerned with the heat from the MH.
<truthfully not a good way at all to orient a halide. Vertical
orientation of MH lamps focus (read: waste) light. This may be of
little matter since our target is an anemone, but if it is/becomes a
full reef... it is a very big deal. Horizontal lamp orientation is
the ticket. The claim about heat dissipation is really moot too.
Don't believe the marketing. Yes, MH lamps are hot. But so are VHO
lamps at 2-3" over the water in a tight reflector like they should
be. Basically, all bulbs will have some heat issue that needs to be
assisted with ventilation. Just buy the best fixture for your
specific needs. If you doubt that this tank will become a reef in
there next five years, say, then I have no problem with the pendant
especially if you like the mount better>
Someone advised me to
use no canopy at all in order to dissipate the heat. What are your
thoughts on this?
<total bunk in a well made canopy>
It is
not a reef tank, but I would like to add some live rock and
corals... <definitely a canopy with muffin fans on the same timer as
the lights> do I need to be concerned with any fish jumping out??
<it does happen. Use egg crate if heat becomes and issue or a glass
canopy (keep clean for light penetration... a big deal)>
I
currently have 2 Green Chromis, 1 Blue Dot Puffer, 1 Tomato Clown
and 1 Coral Beauty.
<overall reef safe... but watch that puffer
in the long run. They have a reputation for nibbling on
invertebrates eventually. They are particularly known for rasping
the mucous off the base of anemones... although carpets are too
aggressive for most fish to get near>
Thanks and keep up the good
work! Regards, Edward P. Kelly
<thank you my friend for the
compliment and being a good sport from Jersey <wink> Anthony>
Anemone and Coral Lighting II
Re: Hey Anthony... Greetings
from Asbury Park, NJ
Hi Anthony;
Ahhh, the black Lincoln with
black windows! Nothing says 'Welcome to the Garden State' better.
<it brings a tear to the eye <smile>>
Needless to say, I am
really confused on what to do. I don't want to turn this into a
full-fledged reef tank, but rather somewhere in between.
<really
a very challenging place to be... harder than a fish only or reef
only by far>
Nonetheless, 30 watts of light is unacceptable in
either case.
<agreed>
What makes this difficult is that this
tank is a hexagon. All of the fixtures I have seen are larger than
the width of my tank.
<yes>
My tank is about 20 inches
across. I was led to believe that one MH at 175W would be
acceptable, and I wasn't going to include any other fixtures
(actinic, 50/50, etc.).
<I agree completely, but resist the
highest Kelvin bulbs...poor performance. There is more than enough
blue in AB or Ushio 10K lamps (see Yoshi studies)>
If this were a
standard rectangle, I would just build/buy a nice canopy for it. But
since it is a hex, I can't find a canopy on the net, nor can I
handle all of the intricate cuts to construct my own canopy. I have
also looked for DIY tutorials on a hexagon stand/canopy and I cannot
find any.
If you had this tank in your living room, how would you
handle the lighting dilemma??
Thanks for your time!
<a single
Ushio 10K pendant over a tank with beautiful rock, fish (smart
enough to avoid the anemone...hehe... it WILL eat a fish eventually)
and a green carpet anemone that will fill the tank magnificently in
1-3 years. Forget about the corals for now. Kindly, Anthony> |
Lighting a 180g Tank
Guys,
I wrote about a month ago about
lighting my 180g tank. Bob encouraged me to look into halide lighting
for hard corals and tridacnids. After much reading and talking with
lighting guru's, most recommendations point to the use of double ended
(HQI) bulbs powered by electronic ballasts. There were many claims that
the double ended bulbs are much more intense per watt than traditional,
single ended bulbs. I have not found any articles out there, that have
done any technical test to prove that claim.
<Take a look at the
articles written by Sanjay Joshi, a professor Penn State. His website is
here with links to several of his works
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/s/b/sbj4/aquarium/aquarium.html>
If any, what are the benefits of double ended bulbs. Would you consider
3 250W @ 10000K (with actinics) be sufficient for the more demanding
hard corals and tridacnids?
<Sounds like more than enough.>
It is
also my understanding that double ended bulbs do not have a U.V
filtering, outside envelope.
<Correct>
In a DIY project, how would
one come by UV filters.
<See if Sanjay mentions it in his piece. Most
units I have seen come with the filter built in.>
Thanks again for
many answered questions. I'd give away my mom's Chitins 'n' Hot Sauce
recipe to be able to get the reef lighting right the first time
around...JS
<Have a nice weekend. -Steven Pro> Lighting
Hello,
I have a 48"L-18"W-28"H tank and would like to make it a reef
tank. Right now, it has a 110 watt PC light. I need to know an
economical way of getting the proper wattage to provide a healthy
environment for both soft and hard coral.
<Wow, there is not much
more of a broad description than soft and hard coral. That covers just
about anything and everything and as such I cannot honestly recommend a
lighting solution for you. Any reef tank needs to be designed around the
particular needs of the corals desired. You need to narrow your focus
for me to be of any real assistance.>
Thank you for your time, Kevin
<Feel free to reply back once you settle on what you want to keep.
-Steven Pro> Xenia needs
Guys I have a quick one ...what
are the lighting requirements for pulsing xenia...will NO fluorescents
be fine??
<depends on the species. If we are talking about common
brown fast pulse... yes, with proper acclimation. If you have a white or
pom pom species... very unlikely (requires bright light)>
I have had
them under MH for some time ,but they are growing like crazy and I would
like to share with a friend with NO 50/50 only.
<keep them within
6-10" of the surface and they will be fine>
Thanks in advance. Joe
<best regards, Anthony> Lighting question
Hi all (or
Anthony again)
<I'm not high, but delighted to answer just the same>
When I setup the 75g I found that my PFO hood won't fit inside the new
hood. So, instead of a 175w MH 10,000, 2x24" actinic VHO's, 2x 36" 6500K
VHO, and 2x 36" HO (overdriven on the VHO ballast) 20,000K's, I have
only the 6500K's and the 20,000K lights. This is primarily an "LPS"
tank, with Fungia, a brain, and a bubble coral (and most likely a
branching hammer or frogspawn in addition). No SPS's. Is this enough
light or should I sweet talk the wife into letting me get either 2x96w
PC's (50/50) or 2 175w MH's with the 20,000K Radium with the additional
2 VHO's now running 10,000K (or actinic) instead of the 20,000K HO's.
Thanks all! PF
<as much as I would like to give a fellow aquarist an
excuse to buy a new toy... I must admit that the lighting is not only
enough, but rather ideal in color balance IMO. Even if not, LPS are so
hungry and food so easily compensates for inadequate light in corals...
no worries here. Anthony>
Coral lighting
hi there
<Howdy partner>>I am setting my
tank up for a reef. its a 90 gallon tank. what I would like to
keep is mushrooms, zoos, soft corals, a bubble coral. am unsure
what I should do about lighting.....
<low to moderate light
animals... heavy feeders instead. Fluorescents will be fine>
I
currently have 2*55 watt Pc.s and 2*40 watt no actinics.
<more
daylight color is needed here... not so much blue>
I was thinking
about adding another 2*55 watt pc retro....would this be enough for
my tank???
<yep>
or should I go with metal halide......
<good heavens no!>
I was thinking the pc's because of the
price.
<actually... metal halides are more economical when
considering the lifespan of the bulbs and bang for the buck (usable
light produced per watt consumed)>
on the other hand I don't want
to have to buy metal halides later down the road because my lights
aren't adequate and feel like I wasted money on the Pc.s.....
<then a fine compromise would be a 150 watt double ended HQI MH
outfit>
I do not want any clams, sps or anything that has real
high light requirements.....what would u add if it was your tank??
<actually... if I had the money... the HQIs. More bang for the buck.
Fluorescents have to be changed every 6-10 months. Some halides are
good for over three years!>
thanks for your time Matt
<best
regards, Anthony>Re: coral lighting
great I think I
will just order another 2*55 watt pc. so currently I have the 2 *40
watt actinics, 2*55 Pc.s (with a 6400K bulb) and am going to add an
additional 2*55 watt pc. what kind of bulb should I put in
this.....the place am ordering from sells (6400, 10000, and 5300K)
thanks again for all the help its really appreciated. Matt
<The
6400K will likely serve you best. Strong daylight color though. If
you prefer a blue hue, go for the 10K. The 5300 K are for shallow
water species only and is a very yellow colored light. Anthony> |
New with corals
Hi Bob thanks for the link just one more
question.
<Anthony Calfo in your service>
I have a 100gallon tank
with 2 x 150w MH and 2 Actinic Fluorescents. What would be the best
coral to keep?
<my advice would be to focus on one specific group of
corals and not to mix from an array of groups. Mixing causes too many
long term problems from silent chemical warfare in the aquarium. SO,
decide if you like the octocorals best... or the Euphylliids, etc. And
stay with the family members in that group. That lets you specialize
with a more compatible group of organisms while still having a
tremendous number of species to pick from>
I mean I read about guys
with 3x400w MH etc and my light seems to be nowhere as good ... or is
it?
<those aquarists are often running commonly excessive lighting
and most corals in such shallow aquaria (less than 75 cm) will suffer
for it in time. Your lighting is fine my friend. Even if you want to
specialize in high light SPS corals and clams, I would still not suggest
more than 250 watt halides for this particular tank.>
Werner Schoeman
<best regards, Anthony Calfo> Species Selection and Lighting
needs
Don, since I wrote my first question I have learned more on
how important it is to research animals and their required environment
prior to purchase. <Kinda fun too>
With the amount of light I
discussed, 175 w MH and 2x36 PC actinic, would that be considered
sufficient light for an animal requiring <are we talking corals?>'High
Light', 'Medium Light', 'Low Light'? <By placing at different levels in
the water column, I would think you could do most any appropriate
species.>What species would you recommend raising with this amount of
light?<Oh, My that is pretty wide open. As per above, Research and find
what you like/feel you can provide for. A couple of books to consider
would be Eric Borneman's "Aquarium Corals" or Anthony Calfo's "Book of
Coral Propagation". There are good discussion about appropriate corals
on the WWM Forum at
http://www.wetwebfotos.com/talk> Also, I am now investigating the
difference between 5000k, 6500k, and 10k MH lamps. <The tendency now
seems to be 10K MH and this is what I am planning, with actinic for the
next tank. Although species will determine as well. Some of this can be
personal as well as the different temperatures give very different
looks. Try to see other tanks with different bulb, temperatures, etc>
Would one of those be better with the two
actinics? <Not necessarily>
With your experience, what combo would you install personally <as
above>?
<<Go slow, research, understand needs and have fun! Don>
Natural sunlight really works! - 2/14/03
Hello crew & I hope Mr.
Calfo-
<cheers, my friend>
I wrote some weeks ago about moving my
tank near a window so that it will get about two hours of natural light.
I did that three weeks ago and I just want to say it made all of the
difference in the world.
<excellent to hear>
My softies are taking
off. I am amazed at the difference.
<it really is remarkable and
algae growth will be no better or worse than without it>
I don't know
how it might have affected it but my pod population has exploded. Could
the sunlight help them, if so how?
<yep... some pods eat
phytoplankton which is now growing better from the sunlight>
One more
question. My skimmer has slowed down some. I still get a lot of skimmate
but I would say a 1/2cup less then before.
<per day... per week?>
Is that due to the new lighting?
<not likely. And not a problem if
that is per week. Else, there is a tuning problem>
My specs are Alk
10dkh, Ca400, ph 8.3 No2 0 No3 0 Amm 0
Thanks Mr. Calfo, I enjoy your
book and am looking forward to the new ones coming.
<Thanks kindly!>
Have a good Valentine's day. I had to send this letter out before I rush
and get some flowers for my g-friend. Karl
<cheers, Anthony>
Lighting a 65g for soft corals - 2/23/03
Good afternoon from rain
soaked VA! <Good morning to you. Paul here.>
I am trying to decide on
a lighting upgrade for my aspiring reef tank. It is a 65 gal.,
36Lx18Wx24H.
I currently have one small Sarcophyton, one med.
Sinularia, and a small frag of Sinularia dura. Also some Protopalythoa
polyps. I intend to keep this tank limited to soft corals and mushrooms.
<Very good>
So here's the big question: I am looking at a few
fixtures; one is a 3x96watt PC fixture, one is a MH + PC fixture - 150
or 175watt MH and 2 96watt PC's. <Well, the corals you have currently
and based on your previous statement as to what kind of corals you plan
to keep, they might do favorably (read OK) with the 3x96 watt. Now if
you plan on going with different corals in the future.....more like
clams and SPS, then maybe it wouldn't hurt to go with the MH fixture. If
you acclimate your current livestock to the MH properly, I think all
your corals will benefit from the stronger lighting. In any event, I
would research the lighting needs of your corals you have now (I am sure
you have) and for the ones you plan to keep, as related to their
respective environment, and make the best decision. Either lighting
system will do the job albeit, one will do it better.> Which one would
be preferable, or would you suggest a different unit entirely? <I
honestly like the 150w MHx2x96w PC as the best choice here. Definitely
read through Anthony Calfo's awesome article on lighting invertebrates
found here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marlgtganthony.htm>
I appreciate the
time you guys take to answer questions in this forum! You're a
tremendous help! <Our pleasure. Thank you for coming to this forum to
have your questions answered!>
Thanks,
Neil
<Regards, Paul>
Coral Lighting needs
Crew,
<Hi David, Don today>
Would a
48" 4x55W Helios compact fluorescent fixture be enough in a 75 gallon
tank for most corals? Or is more lighting needed?
<Well David, 'most
corals' is pretty ambiguous. I would say OK for corallimorphs, many
polyps, and some soft corals. Most LPS and SPS would be out. What
lighting is needed? As written before here, you need to know specifics
about what you want to keep. It is difficult (but not impossible) to
keep corals that have strong light needs with those that need lower
light in the same tank. Use available references to find classes of
corals that have the same needs and then progress from there. You will
be less frustrated and the corals you choose will be less likely to die
from environmental conditions.>
Thanks,
David
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