15 Gallon Salt Tank Lighting
>Hi guys,
>>Hello, Marina here.  (Sorry for the delay, we've been swamped!)
>You have the best, most comprehensive site on the web for marine aquarists.  I have a question regarding a 15 gallon FOWLR system.  I currently have only a single fluorescent bulb, a Rio powerhead, and an Aquaclear 150 running on my tank.  I'm thinking about moving up to power compact lighting of some sort and possibly a Prizm skimmer.  
>>Not familiar with the performance of the Prizms, but also consider AquaC or CPR BakPak.
>I have a pair of ocellaris clowns, Jawfish, a royal Gramma, a star fish, one cleaner shrimp and a few snails.  Do you have any suggestions as to what types of lighting would be good?  I am thinking about the new custom Sealife PC/Moonlite systems (are they worth the $$$?) or a Coralife PC (or anything you suggest, hehe).  
>>The Coralife PC units are quite popular, though I'm curious as to why you wish to upgrade the lighting.  The "whys" of the upgrade should first be addressed, and then I would steer you towards an outfit with an excellent reputation, http://www.hellolights.com (I *think* that's the URL!).. not only for great prices, but for their customer service.
>Also would it be OK to add some corals or should I get some kind of sump going before I do that?  THANKS!!!  Mike Chang
>>If you wish to upgrade the lighting in order to get some corals, first decide what types you wish to keep.  This will help greatly in deciding lighting.  Right now I'll steer you away from anemones, difficult, move about, small tank, bad combo (unless it's dedicated to one anemone).  Then, consider a small refugium, search our site as we have MUCH information on 'fuge setups.  A ten gallon tank or H.O.T. 'fuge would be great for you.  The 'fuge can act as refugium filtration and as a sump, and with this in place you can keep your water quality very high.  Thus, your only limitation would be lighting (heh...).  With what you're thinking of, I think you could keep MANY different types of soft corals, polyps, Zoanthids, and LPS corals.  If you're interested in clams, I suggest Tridacna derasa.  Marina

Reef Lighting    6/14/06
Hi Bob,
<James with you today.>
I have a question on lighting for a small reef setup. When I look on line it seems I get 100 different answers. I was wondering if my lighting is
adequate for what I have. my lighting is 6.5 watts per gallon. 65x2=130 divided by 20 gallons.
1  24 inch 2 X 65 watt power compact aquarium hood, with 1 65 watt 10k white and 1 65 watt  actinic blue PC bulb 20 gallon glass aquarium
25lb live sand
about 8+ 1bs of live rock
1 button polyp coral medium in size
1 yellow polyp coral small in size
1 rock coral green, small in size
3 clown fish
1 pygmy angel
1 blue/green fish that is related to the Damsel, but with a lighter temperament.
<Your lighting will be fine, may be borderline for SPS corals though if your tank is a 20 tall.  James (Salty Dog)>

Nano Reefs, SPS and Lighting   2/8/06
Hi Crew!
<Hello Sheen, thanks for the well formatted and grammatically correct query, makes answering a lot easy.>
    I currently run a 20 gallon tank (16" high) and am considering to upgrade from my 96 watt Teklight T-5 HO (24W x 4) to a metal halide system, in hopes to get better growth in my Acropora.
<T-5 ho of that wattage on this size tank should be more than plenty for nearly any animal hosting zooxanthellae. How old are your bulbs and what Kelvin temp. are they?>
My questions as follows:
1) Will the Current USA SunPod 24" 150W HQI fixture be good enough for my Acropora?
<Yup, but watch out for the heat!>
My high light-loving Acroporas are all at the top (A. clathrata, A. hyacinthus), A. yongei, A. tenuis, A. micropthalma are in the middle, while A. millepora and some Montipora are at the bottom.
   <Lot of specimens for that size tank, watch the growth.>
2) Is the 14,000 K bulb supplied with this unit sufficient to provide adequate PAR for these SPS, as well as significant growth?
<I would rather see 10,000K bulbs.>
They are coming from 2x6500K Sun bulbs and 2xActinic Blue bulbs (pretty weak PAR).
   <Yeah I think if you use less actinic you could get away with the T-5 HO’s.>
3) As for future bulbs, would a 10,000 K be a better choice?
<Yup.>
4)  I am not too picky of how the tank looks as long as corals grow! (6500 K would work as well for me). What's the best choice?
   <6,500K is even better (closer to spectrum of natural sunlight) if you don’t mind the color.>
5) What have you heard, and if you have any experience with this fixture, how does it perform?
<To put it nicely there are some brands I would rather utilize.>
What about heating issues as the fixture is only 3" above the surface of the water?
   <3” above the surface is fine for your T-5 unit, you need to suspend the MH fixture at least 8” more like 12” though.>
  Thanks so much,
<Anytime.>
  Sheen
<Adam J.>

150watt metal halide. too much light?/Sunglasses for Corals  - 01/24/06
Question for you guys. Thinking of upgrading my lighting system for a 16 gal. nano reef. running for 3 years now) As of the moment using a 64 watt pc set up. Freakish amount of Zoanthids, they are growing like crazy, dropping new little colonies all over and spreading over everything. totally cool!) <Great!> I have a few areas on the live rock that has Porites doing nicely, growing and spreading out also. Also about a 4 inch wide area  of Montipora covered by a slight overhang. The Montipora is starting to lighten up in colour in the area that is under the overhang <Move it?>(duh!). Adjusting the rock to allow more light creates a very unstable rock formation. <Can use underwater epoxy cement.> My now long winded question is. would a 150 watt MH set up (aqua-medic mini pendant) be over the top in the light or would bumping up my pc set up to 128 watts be a safer direction. i.e.: little less heat,<Yes> less intense for the other inhabitants.<I'd opt for the 128 idea giving you eight watts per gallon, more than enough to keep most anything.> Would rather not blind myself/family if pendant needs to be a lot higher from water surface to avoid the heat build up, and end up wasting light.
Any blunt/ honest info would be a huge help.( eyes are buggy from reading and talking to suppliers about this. some are all for it others are nuar.geo the pc route..)<James (Salty Dog)>
POG

Lighting for a 5 gallon mini reef and 46 gallon bowfront   1/4/06
I have a 5 gallon mini-reef setup (11 inches deep) with assorted mushrooms, star polyps, and assorted Zoanthids.  I have an 18 watt power compact with a 50/50 bulb over this setup and have another 18 watt power compact on the way.  With these corals, would 18 watts be sufficient? <Borderline> Could I get away with 36 total watts over this tank? <Yes> If I can get away with 36 watts, then should I use another 50/50 bulb  or go with a different Kelvin rating on the second 18 watt unit? <I'd get another 50/50>  What other categories of corals (soft/SPS/LPSs) can I keep with these corals that I already have? <If it were me I'd stay with soft corals.  Most SPS/LPSs have sweeper tentacles that can sting/kill other corals.  Your mini reef isn't large enough to safely space the corals apart. A variety of soft corals is very attractive.>   BTW I am building a 2 gallon sump/wet dry for this system and a counter current skimmer that will be 3" in diameter and 28 inches tall (not sure if this will change your answer on the types of corals that I can keep in here).  Also, would a clown goby and a gumdrop goby be ok in this setup? <Yes>
In my 46 bowfront I have a 4.5" flasher scorpion, 3"  fuzzy dwarf, 8" Chainlink moray eel, a 5" maroon clown, and his buddy, a BTA.  I have a 175 watt metal halide over this tank that is 14K.  I also have 20K and 10K - 175 watt metal halides laying around.  I would like to know what the best compromise in Kelvin rating is, in order to make my BTA happy and not make my scorps and eel hate me. <Using what you have on hand, I'd go with the 20K> BTW I have plenty of rock with caves and crevices for the fish that prefer a dimmer atmosphere.
Thank you sooooo much for the time that you all put into this website, you guys are a great help to aquarists everywhere! <Thank you.  James (Salty Dog)>
Garen Wright

Nano Lighting and Alk/Calcium Levels 10/28/05
Hello Crew Member,
<Hi Don.>
I was thinking of upgrading my lighting system...
<Okay.>
I currently am running a retrofitted Eclipse hood
1 - 15W Coralife MarineGlo fluorescent (runs from 9:15am-9:30pm)
2 - 13W 50/50 pc's (running from 10:30am-6:30pm)
I was thinking of replacing it w/
1 - 96W 50/50 Aqualight and having it run from 9:30-9:30
<Well it would help to know what the targeted photosynthetic specimens are to give you the best answer as to how this lighting system relates to your system. I will say that this lighting system will dramatically increase the heat in your system, so look into fans and top-off systems.>
My Aquarium specs are:
15 Gal. Tall
1 - 15W Coralife MarineGlo fluorescent (runs from 9:15am-9:30pm)
2 - 13W 50/50 pc's (running from 10:30am-6:30pm)
eclipse 1 filtration system (120 gal/hr pump w/ carbon filtration and BioWheel)
<Carbon is rather has quite a short half/life and after 24 hours of usage is rather inert, after that its really just a breeding ground for bacteria, really its not necessary in a mature system. As far as the bio-wheel, it’s a quality filter but in a marine tank, especially one of this size I would rather see a protein skimmer.>
1 Rio 200 w/ a hydro Flo diverter
2-3" LS bed
<Your in “No Mans land” with your sand bed, should be 1” or less for aesthetics or 4” or more for the effects of a Deep Sand Bed.>
18Lbs. LR
2 Reef Hermits
1 Left handed Hermit
2 Margarita snails
1 Rainford's Goby
<How is he eating? This species often starves in smaller/un-mature aquaria as it is mostly a filamentous algae eater.>
pH 8.2 (even w/ high Alk stays consistent)
Ca 500ppm (this is a drop from 800ppm)
<I imagine you had a snowstorm, (calcium precipitation during this 800 ppm period.>
NH3/NH4 0
NO2 0.00
NO3 0 
Alk (off the charts) (no change recently)
<Should be between 7 and 12 dKH.>
temp 80 F
Gravity 1.025
Water changes are being preformed weekly (4-5 gals) Ro/Di water low amounts of salt mix added as I am attempting to lower both Alk and Calcium.
<Well you still need to keep the S.G. levels up with inverts in the tank, you need some sort of Alk/ph buffering product. Though the stable pH is a bit odd, maybe bad test kit? I would try to confirm you readings with a local store.>
<<Brand, age, storage are all contributing factors to the efficacy and reliability of any test.  MH>>
Thanks for your time
Don
<Welcome, Adam J.>

Mini compact fluorescent bulbs  9/21/05
Hello,
<Hi, Adam J with you.>
I have been looking into a nano aquarium lately,
<Fun but unstable at times…the nanos that is, not me.>
and have a question about the lighting... Would there be anything wrong with building a canopy for a 10-gallon aquarium using 4 of the mini compact fluorescent self ballasted 10-watt bulbs?
<I see no problem with this lighting but it will generate some heat so you will want to make sure you can keep the temperature at the proper position as well as monitor evaporation. A small fan blowing across the top of the water can help with both of these issues.>
Is this a good lighting choice for a 10 gallon aquarium?
<Depends on what the targeted livestock is.>
Thanks, Dan
<You are very welcome, Adam.>

Light Conversation  9/12/05
Hello, Joe here
<Hi there! Scott F. with you today!>
  First off thank you for the informative site.
<You're quite welcome...We're glad to bring it to you every day!>
I an running a 30gal hex for 5 months now with a 20gal refugium for 3 and I know hex's are bad for reefs but mine has had no problems (yet.
<To be quite honesty, I've seen some stunning reefs in hex aquariums...It's all about the husbandry and equipment, really.>
The water parameters are in good order and everything is healthy.
The tank is stocked with 50 lbs live rock
30 pound live sand(2-3 inches)
1 Candy Hog
1 Coral Beauty
1 Sixline Wrasse
2 True Percula Clowns
1 Diamond Watchman Goby
about 20 mixed snails and 15 mixed hermits
corals are 3 branches of Hammers
a large Bubble
large Frogspawn
a few heads of Candycane
small Colt
a large population of Zoos (around 100) through out the tank and a Blue Maxima clam= 1.5 inch
Lighting is the question of the hour in my sump\refugium. I am running a 18 watts NO aquarium florescent above the 10 gal section with the four inch sand bed and the Chaetomorpha\Caulerpa
I don't believe this is enough I an looking into more light.
<Good thought...I'd kick the lighting up a bit!>
I have read that actinics are for looks and don't help photosynthesis is this true, should I stay away from the so-called 50\50 bulbs and when using the rule of thumb of 3 watts per gal should I count actinics or blues.
<I have never liked the "watt per gallon" guidelines, but yes- you'd count all lighting in such a total.>
I have 152 watts of pc lighting above the display and 96 are 10,000k and they are all condensed into a 20"x20" area 3 inches above the water and 20 inches above the sand.
<That sounds just fine for the animals that you are working with. Just make sure that the clam is getting its fair share of lighting.>
Should I convert the 56 watts of actinics in to 50\50 or maybe one 28 watt to 10,000k?
<It's really dependent upon the needs of your animals, and also a question of aesthetics. If it were me, I'd be inclined to go for the 50/50's for the look.>
I have all lights on timers so I don't shock the live stock with all the lights at once. Any help you can offer will be appreciated.
Joe
<Well, Joe, it sounds like you've got the right idea. If your animals seem to be healthy and growing, I'd stick with your current lighting. If you are not satisfied, it's a simple matter of just popping a new bulb in to see what results you get...Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>

& Tank Lighting 8/7/05
I forgot to ask this in my previous e-mail, but it has a different
subject.  My tank, a 30 gallon hex tank, has the 'stock' light on it.
The fixture is only 13" long.  What can I use that will penetrate deep
enough for me to use?
<Likely a small/er Metal Halide>
Also where can I get something like this?
<Mmm, stores, mail-order, e-tailers...>
I plan on having some a lot of corals, and anemones etc.  Anything
helps!
Thanks again,
Trey Smith
<Again, enjoy the process of informing yourself, read the hobby magazines, current books, join a marine club in your area... Bob Fenner>

Lights for a 24" cube tank 8/6/05
I am setting up a 24x23x25-supposed to be a 60 gallon reef tank. I  want to keep a leather coral, bubble coral, a couple clownfish, some mushrooms  and a couple cleaner shrimp. I plan to keep the stocking very low as I am into low maintenance. What would you recommend for lighting? < Maybe just one 400 watt 14K halide.  Or maybe two 250 watt 14K halides.  I've seen both and like both set ups on 24" cube tanks. > I want to be economical but I want the right lights. I currently use PC's. I've never used halide, but  
am not opposed to it. It is and acrylic tank. < That is a very common acrylic tank size.  You may search Google and find several tanks just like it.  The advantage of a two bulb halide system is that you really reduce your shadowing in the tank.  One bulb is great because you can get a lot of light and only have to buy one fixture.  I think I'd lean towards two 250 watt bulbs.  As for pc and VHO, they work but I don't use them in tanks that short. >
<  Blundell  >

Cube? MH, heat concern 7/16/05
I'm planning a  26"X26"X23"  tank.  My wish is for single 150 watt HQI  to support a FOWLR  system.  The internal overflow box spans the back, has three 1" bulkheads,  and  two pairs of  3/4" , on the bottom of the tank.  (Two for return, and two for a possible future closed loop.)
<The return/lines you may well want to raise up to prevent back-siphoning in the event of a power/pump failure>
The Iwaki MD-40RX, for a SCWD only return,  The sump's water depth will be below  9" to accommodate a Aqua-C EV-120,  and incorporates a  25 gallon refugium.   I would appreciate any advice, or to know if I'm on the right track, here in Taiwan.  Thank you, for your invaluable service.  I apologize if I have been unclear.
-Ryan
<You may have heat issues with the size, shape of the main tank, volume of water. Bob Fenner>

Throwing Some Light On A Small Tank 7/13/05
Hi Mr. Bob
<Actually, Scott F. here today!>
I currently have a 15 gallon nano saltwater tank. Will it be possible to keep SPS and clams (Crocea or Maxima) under power compact fluorescent lamps?
<If the proximity of the lamps is close enough to the animals, and you are providing nutritional supplementation to the animals, it is certainly possible. However, I would hesitate to recommend a clam for this sized tank. They will simply outgrow the tank if provided with proper conditions.>
I've read that they should be kept under MH.
<In most cases, yes- but in a small, shallow tank, it might be possible to be successful with them.>
My current lighting is composed of 6 26watts power compact/compact fluorescent lamps making it 10 watts per gallon over a 24"x1"x1 tank. These are 6500k screw-in lamps that can be found at hardware shops (I'm experimenting with these lamps). My tank inhabitants include 2 colonies of red and Blue Mushrooms and 1 Frogspawn coral , a bit shaded by live rocks. They seem happy with the current lighting though, no bleaching or closing up.
<I'd be careful about this combination of animals for the long run. Frogspawn are very aggressive corals.>
And also, do you know of any site which discusses about power compacts for reef lighting? I've been searching the net but found none so far. Thanks in advance.
<I honestly don't know any specific sites dedicated to compact fluorescent lighting exclusively, but you might want to check out sites of manufacturers of compact fluorescent lighting for more information. Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>

Lights for a new  55 gal reef tank? 7/11/05
Hello WWM crew!
Your site has proven to be very informative as I am just started to get into the world of reef keeping. <  Good to hear. >
I have a question regarding the type of corals that should be grouped together. I am looking to start a reef tank, 55g, and am unsure what types of corals should be kept together as each may have an individual preference. < Indeed they do and this is something well worth investigating before purchase. > Should I purchase corals only from a specific region of the world or based on their individual preferences? < More on preference, not on world location. I'd grab a copy of Julian's book Corals, or Bornemann's book as well.  Both will be very useful in telling you what requirement different corals have. >
I also have a question for lighting (only piece of equipment I have yet to purchase, and the most expensive!) Would you recommend metal halides (thinking of two 150w, 10,000K) or PC(2-65w 10,000K, 2-65w true actinic o3 blue), I may possibly want to keep some clams & LPS and mix with certain moderate light loving SPS. < Well then the choice is clear.  You definitely want metal halides with some actinic supplements.  I'd go with two 250 watt HQI halides, and four bulbs (either pc, VHO, T-5) that are actinic. > My LFS also stated T5's are the next lighting to replace PC's, that true? < Maybe.  They are about the same, a little better but not a big difference. > Thank you for taking your time to read this! < No problem, that is why we are here. >
James
<  Blundell  >

Lights for a small semi-reef tank?
Howdy,
I currently have a rio180 (Size: 101 x 50 x 41 cm) set up as a marine aquarium, with red sea protein skimmer, external Fluval 304, 3 x power heads, and of course the Juwel internal filter which has had a more powerful powerhead to support the stocking capacity. This has been running happily for months now with the standard 2 x no fluorescent tubes, at the moment it is fish only:
1 yellow tang
1 powder blue tang
3 x Green Chromis
2 x ocellaris clowns
1 x carpenter flasher wrasse
1 x Sixline wrasse
1 x cleaner wrasse
1 x scooter dragonet
1 x citron goby
I do however want to eventually turn to a few corals and am looking at a series 3 pendant from arcadia. 70cm long 1 x 150w MH and 2x 18w Blue ac. Would this be sufficient for the tank to sustain a mini reef? < Yes. It may be easier to go with something like T-5's. That seems a little low on light, especially only having two 18 watt actinic bulbs. I'd try adding two 96 watt actinics if it were me. > If not what wattage would you suggest and where could i get the right spec lighting system from? 
< I think just about every local fish store sells compact fluorescent lights. That isn't a bad option for actinics. Otherwise one halide and a couple T-5's for actinic light is the way to go. Best of luck. >
Many Thanks,
A Young Marine Enthusiast, Wes Knights
< Blundell > 

Lighting the 29 gallon
hi bob I've asked Lorenzo about lighting a 29 gallon long tank for the SPS corals. I asked if I could keep them in there by using 2 55 watt power compacts. He said that I could if I kept them close to the surface. He recommended using a 7200 and a 10k, with killer reflectors. Well I've been looking for the 7200 but I can't find some so I was wondering if the 6700K or a 8800K would work on the tank. 
<Yes, the higher temp. lamp will be better>
Well thanks and I've been in Australia and I got the chance to see the Great Barrier Reef. Just a few words to describe it: Wow and Wow. The Acropora were just beautiful and I just want to have some like them in my house. Well take care and I'll keep in studying and learning. Thanks.
<I as well. Thank you for sharing. Bob Fenner>

Proper lighting and filtration for a small mis-stocked marine system
Hello there. I am a little confused as to which type of lighting and filtration would be best for my tank.
It is a 30 gallon,  30" wide, 12.5" deep and 20" high.
I have 30 pounds live sand and 23 pounds live rock. I have two domino damsels, two clowns,
<Trouble a' brewing with these fishes mixed here>
a  Christmas tree coral and a bubble tipped anemone that is shown much attention by one of the clowns and one of the dominos.
The tank came with an Eclipse hood which is lacking in all regards. I am considering a Orbit power compact 2x65 for lighting and a Fluval 204 canister filter
along with a SeaClone 100 skimmer.
<A good switch for the lighting... the skimmer? Puny, but serviceable here... though not worthy of putting on a larger system>
I would like to eventually include a rose bubble tipped and blue carpet anemones. Your opinion and recommendations greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
<A very poor idea... anemones are not easily kept period... I would NOT mix them, especially in such a small volume. Please do yourself and your livestock the great aid of reading on WWM re their care, selection, systems. Bob Fenner>

Re: lighting for 2 gallon pico again
Hello,
I sent an e-mail, this was it:
Hello
I have a 2 gallon acrylic aquarium that I found in my garage and I want to fill it with corals, no fish. I looked in a magazine and saw  the current satellite PowerCompact lunar and the measurements fit the aquarium perfectly.
Would this be good lighting. it has 2 18 watt bulbs and lunar lights. If I get it, could I switch the bulbs to 1 420/460 actinic bulb and 1 10000k/460 actinic bulb. I want to switch because I like reefs that have lots of blue lights, it adds enhancement and makes it look more relaxing. will this work. Would there be too little 10000k lighting.
Thanks
I got my new issue of Dr.s foster foster smith a week ago and found the Coralife 12 inch fixture, then went to my LFS, and they had it. Which fixture should I get? I know Coralife is dependable for lighting, I have the 20 inch 96 watt
on my 10 gallon and it's great. But, the satellite has lunar lights and good choices of bulbs. The Coralife has 2 18 watt 50/50 bulbs. Also, I think the Coralife fixture looks better, plus it's cheaper but if I have to spend more for quality I'll do it. Please help me make up my mind!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you
Todd
<Of the two, I'd go with the first... for the reasons you list. Bob Fenner>

Marine Light/ing
hi sir Fenner, this site is great.. my question is lighting duration and intensity. I have a mini 8 gallon tank running one 32 watt 10000k daylight and one 32 watt actinic. My friend say to have the actinic come on for about a hour prior and then switch to daylight for about 8 hrs and then finish off with the actinic for another hour.. Is this correct..
<Mmm, the use of actinic is about right... overlap the actinic with the white, and I would extend the time frames... to 12 to 14 hours per day>
My local fish store told me to have both of them at the same time.. Which is correct.. I have switched to having both at the same time but the Acropora started bleaching.. is there any way to save the Acropora??
<It should "photo-adapt" to the bright, mixed light in time>
is the lighting too strong for Acropora??
<Possibly... try fewer hours or shielding part of the light if you can't dim it electronically (like with aluminum foil over part of the lamps) for a few weeks. Bob Fenner>
thank you for you time sir..
<You are welcome my friend.>

Cube lighting
Mornin' ya'll, 
<Hi Rob, MacL here with you today.> 
I'm hoping to start up my first reef tank and was hoping you could give me some advice on lighting. The tank will be 30g, 20.5"L x18.5"W x20.5"H. The lighting fixture I'm leaning towards is a Coralife Advanced Aquatic Hang-On, 150watt 10,000k. 
<Those are pretty interesting and very new. I've not personally had much experience with them but I have seen their regular fixtures. The only thing that concerns me about this light is that you are going to have to do some serious acclimation with it and usually that's done by hanging the light up high then lowering it. With it attached to the tank your only recourse is to cut back on the time you use it for acclimation. You also might want to think about using caves and overhangs to help with this.> 
Do you think this would be over-kill for zoo's, xenia, etc. ? 
<I think you are going to be okay with a very careful acclimation.> 
If not, would a clam be out of the question? 
<The wattage and light should work for you to have a clam but its definitely going to outgrow your tank.> 
Your advice is greatly appreciated, Thanks. 
<Good luck, MacL>

Pico lighting
Hello
I have a 2 gallon acrylic aquarium that I found in my garage and I want to fill it with corals, no fish. I looked in a magazine and saw the current satellite power compact lunar and the measurements fit the aquarium perfectly. Would this be good lighting. it has 2 18 watt bulbs and lunar lights. If I get it, could I switch the bulbs to 1 420/460 actinic bulb and 1 10000k/460 actinic bulb? I want to switch because I like reefs that have lots of blue lights, it adds enhancement and makes it look more relaxing. Will this work? Would there be too little 10000k lighting?
Thanks
<Could work... some of the 10k light would be better to have than both actinics... Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/index.htm.  Scroll down to the sections on Small Marine and Reef set-up areas... particularly lighting... and read. Bob Fenner>

Metal Halide On A 12 Gallon Eclipse? Yowzaa!
Hello.
<Hi there! Scott F. in today!>
First off, I would like to compliment your website. It is truly invaluable for finding information on the diverse hobby that I am addicted too...reef-keeping. Let me acquaint you with my aquarium. It is a 12 gallon Eclipse which has been running for 13 months. 12 pounds of Gulf of Mexico live sand, 7 pounds of Fiji live rock, and 14 pounds of Tonga Branch live rock. Livestock consists of 1 Ocellaris, 1 Royal Gramma, 1 Emerald Crab, 1 Blood Shrimp, 1 Serpent Sea Star, 3 Hermit Crabs, 1 Candy Anemone, Nephthea Coral, Frogspawn Coral, Blue Ricordea coral, Toadstool coral, and pulsing Xenia coral.
<Wow! That tank is stocked to the max with some fairly aggressive corals...I know that it's working so far, but that's a mix of some pretty noxious soft corals and stinging cnidarians in a small amount of water. For real long term success, you may have to reduce the bioload somewhat. I'm not trying to be negative, but this is something that you need to be aware of....> 
I retrofitted the light fixture to a 36 watt PC 50/50 fluorescent. That was completed in summer of 2004. Now, I am starting to get the itch for MH lighting. Although small, this is a show tank; meaning it is positioned so that it is viewed from all angles, therefore I do not want any components hanging off the back or above the aquarium. If I choose to go with MH, the original Eclipse hood would have to be retrofitted again to accommodate the new light fixture.
<I agree...But I'm not so sure about running a metal halide fixture on such a small tank. Not only is this a LOT of light for a relatively small area, but the possible heat issue cannot be overstated enough! If you're up to the challenge, I suppose it can work if venting is very carefully managed...But the proximity of the animals to the intense light is another huge issue to be faced.>
I recently found and purchased a great bargain which consisted of two CPU fans for $10. So, I cut a 1.5 inch by 2 inch hole in the side of the hood, and installed one fan so that it blows air into the hood. There is a small opening in the rear of the hood which for wiring and cords leaving the hood. This hole also allows heated air to escape. There is a substantial breeze from the air exiting this hole. Since installing the fan last week, I have witnessed my operating temperature drop from a maximum of 88 degrees (if you can believe that!!!), to a more respectable 78 degrees. I made the mistake of letting the fan run all through the first night, only to find the tank a chilly 74 degrees the next morning.
<Pretty astounding cooling from two fans, but I guess if you take into account the size of the tank, it is understandable. Halides, on the other hand, are in a class by themselves as far as heat production is concerned.>
My Xenia was really irritated. After a few hours of the lights being on, and the tank warming up slightly, the xenia recovered completely. Fortunately, what could have been a disaster, was nothing more than a bump in the road.
<Good to hear.>
If I go forward with the MH retrofit, the only wattage bulb I would buy is 70 watts. I feel that is more than adequate wattage for a 12 gallon aquarium.
<I'll say...> 
Plus, it's the lowest wattage MH bulb I have come across. I would prefer a 10000K color temperature. If possible, I would ideally like to keep the PC light under the hood as well.
<Wow!>
As mentioned earlier, it is a 36 watt 50/50 (Half daylight / half actinic). Assuming the MH is in place, and the PC is still feasible, I was considering changing the bulb to a full actinic when the bulb is ready to be replaced; currently, it is only three months old. Do you think MH is feasible in my setup (in terms of heat dissipation, amount of light, etc.)? 
<To be quite honest, I'd be very hesitant to use MH over this tank. Better to work in some more PC, or- gulp invest in a larger tank for better long-term viability and stability.>
Would you recommend using the PC in addition to the MH? If so, should I keep the 50/50, or eventually go to a full actinic?
<Using actinic with metal halides is purely an aesthetic preference. I don't see any real benefit to the animals from it, in many situations.>
Thanks in advance for your knowledge and experience. I look forward to reading any opinions and suggestions!
<Again, my thinking would be to go with more PC lighting, or a larger tank. Or, if you are dead-set on halides, perhaps you could remove the canopy completely and hang the light over the tank, like you see on larger tanks...Whatever you do, please be very careful in planning ventilation and acclimation of the animals to the new lighting regime. Keep us posted! Regards, Scott F.>

Lighting a Nano
Hi Crew,
<Good Morning>
I have a 10 gallon with some fish (18 months) and mushrooms (over the past 5 months) and just got some Caulastrea. It has a standard fluorescent cover 18 watts. I am upgrading to a PC 50/50 96 watt. I have read about acclimating to new light and it seems to me that some kind of screen would be the best way. Should I also decrease the number of hours the lights are
on? Right now I have them on 12.5 hours a day.
<No screen needed, start with a hour and increase by two hours daily.>
I am also curing some live rock. Once it gets to the point of zero ammonia and nitrites is it better to put it in my tank or can I continue using the same process and letting things continue to develop as it is. I know my tank will be better off with the rock but right now I am more interested in bringing the most out of the rock.
<Yes, you can do that, but the rock will still develop in your tank. James (Salty Dog)>
Thanks
<You're welcome> 

Lighting for 120 Gal Reef
Greetings from the seas of Colorado! 
<Greetings from the ice floes of Michigan>
I have a 120 gallon (2 x 2 x 4) reef tank with about 150-200# of LR stacked to within 3" of the surface. The current lighting is fine for my xenia, Kenya, Ricordea, Discosoma, and Rhodactis, all of which are thriving and multiplying. I'm currently using two 48" T-12 6500K's, and two 48" 10,000K T8's, with 1-2 hours of direct sun exposure. I know my current lighting is inadequate for other inverts, and I'd like to extend to more colorful inverts, such as corals. I recently bought two 175W M47 MH fixtures to allow other options for the reef. Can I go with just the 2 175W MH using 10,000K bulbs, is it necessary to supplement with the fluorescents? 
<It isn't necessary to use fluorescents if you are using the 10K's. You should get enough color out of those. If you want more or like to see your corals fluoresce, then add an actinic tube.> 
If I go with the MH's alone, are there any colorful options? 
<I'm thinking by options you meant bulbs that bring out the color. Answered in above line. James (Salty Dog)>
Thanks...Dan.
<You're welcome> 

Lighting/Reef
Hi,
I want to thank you guys for such a great site, being new to this hobby, I find this site extremely helpful. Keep up the good work. 
<Thank you> 
Now my question is, I have a 29g tank with 220 watts of compact lighting consisting of 110 watts of 10000K white light and 110 watts of Bright Blue Actinic. I was considering changing the Bright Blues to 03 Actinics. Which type is better for the tank inhabitants? Is it easier to obtain a dawn/dusk effect using the deep blue actinics? 
<Larry, I don't think the dusk to dawn effect is necessary. I look at the overall light quality for the entire day. I would replace the bright blue with another 10K. 
<James (Salty Dog)>

Lighting/Reef - Follow-up
James
My overall lighting consists of 4 55w bulbs, should I then change out one of the bright blues (7100K I believe) to another 10000K and leave one the bright blue. I could bring that half on with 1 timer and the other half with a second timer. I also have a moon light setup that I made using LED's at 472nm. I'll forgo the dawn/dusk in favor of what's better for the inhabitants. 
<Larry, if you have four bulbs, then I would go with three 10K and one true actinic. I'll post a link to FAQ's regarding your lighting. Please read.> http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/lighting/fluoltgfaqs.htm Thanks <You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>

-Perplexing Hex, A lighting conundrum
Hello,
<Hi Justin here>
I'm in the process of setting up a 29g Hex Reef tank with a tank depth of ~24". The tank is currently cycling with 60lb of fine sand and 20lb of live rock. My long time goal is to have some soft corals and anemones. I'm current looking at the 20" Current Orbit PC with 1 40W 10k bulb and 1 50/50 40W bulb, because of my limited hood space.
<I understand, but that light is not enough to sustain most anemones and high light corals as its only around 3ish watts a gallon (horrible rule that watts per gallon, but the real rule is very complex ) > 
I understand I'm pretty low on the light requirements BUT I was wondering what are my limitations in keeping soft corals or anemones.
Thanks in Advance.
<Well you have two things working against you; the depth of the tank, and the hood requirements. So to keep corals with the lighting you have they would need to be 12” or less from the top to get enough light. And most medium light or low light corals would be fine. As for anemones, or highlight corals I would look into a MH pendant to hang on the ceiling or retrofit to go in the hood with wattage around 150 or 175 watts. This will penetrate the 24” depth and ensure your overcoming the saturation point of photosynthesis in the corals and anemones so they grow and thrive. With a MH you can keep most any coral you want though the low light ones need to be shaded so they do not bleach out.>
<Justin (Jager) > 

Lighting for nano tank
What is the best type of light for a small hob refugium to grow my macro
algae?
I need the smallest light possible.  Its for a nano tank.
Are those red sea aqua vase lights any good...? <Anthony, I don't know what size your reef is but there is one available from Drs. Foster & Smith for $29.95.  It's a PC fixture with one 9 watt true actinic and one 9 watt 10K.  I think this would be ideal for this.  As far as the Red Sea Aqua Vase, I'm not familiar with them.  You may want to do a post on the Wet Web Chat Forum for more info on it. James (Salty Dog)>
Anthony

Lighting rule and Coral stocking 2/11/05
I have a 10 gallon setup with a standard fluorescent cover. I would like to increase the lighting so that I could handle more than just mushrooms. There are 20" PC's available (from 32 to 96 watts) but I am not sure how much wattage I should try for.
<at least 5 watts per gallon of tank size>
I do have cardinals and gobies. Is there a point the fish would find uncomfortable?
<varies by fish... but do keep under 10 watts per gallon>
Also, how significant is the bio load of coral in a small tank?
<minor... they are light burdens>
There are guesstimate of inches of fish per gallon but I have not seen anything relating to corals. Is it just a matter of space?
<exactly... needing 6-10" between each coral for 1-2 year buffer. Anthony> 

Lighting 
Hi. <Hello Jon> I am looking at VHO's to light a new, small tank. Would it be easy to drop a VHO retrofit kit (from drsfosterandsmith) into an old All-Glass twin tube strip (the ballast doesn't work a anymore, so all that remains is the hood and reflector. Or is there a better solution?<Jon, I'm afraid the retro won't fit in the All Glass hood. Retros usually come with a reflector that improves the intensity of the lighting and there is just no room. Look at the Orbits and the Satellite fixtures complete with hood. I really prefer PC's over VHO's. They are both on sale at Foster & Smith right now. James (Salty Dog)> Thanks, Jon 

29 Gallon - 2x65 Watt Orbit PC
Hey~ <How goes it?>
I am trying to figure out if I should remove the actinic lighting from my
fixture and install another 8,800 K bulb -- its seems from what I am reading
that the actinic doesn't offer much. <Actinic doesn't provide much PAR (photosynthetically active radiation), it's used mostly for aesthetics.  However, it all depends on what you're looking to keep.  Can't give you much advice without more info>
Thanks
Rob <M. Maddox>

Re: 29 Gallon - 2x65 Watt Orbit PC
Thanks  M. Maddox <Glad to be of service>
I have some mushrooms, polyps, zoos -- no SPS or LPS (figured I would need
to upgrade my lighting to keep those). <Quite so> Have about 35lbs of live rock, 2in. SB - BAKPAK skimmer and 2 powerheads. <Sounds good>
Is that the info you need? <Yep, all low light creatures.  If you'd like more\faster growth, swap out an actinic for a daylight>
Thanks again <No problem>
Rob <M. Maddox>

Lighting a nano for Acroporas - 11/23/04
Hey guys,
I have a 10 gall nano reef tank and I'm running it with 8 watts per gal. (PC). Do you think I have enough light
for Acroporas and clams. <Well, to be honest there is a lot more to lighting SPS and clams than watts per gallon, for sure. This is a much debated issue. First and foremost, you need a very stable marine environment. (unfortunately in my opinion, a 10 gallon is awfully hard to stabilize) Also, there is the debate regarding useful PAR from Power Compact lighting. I believe there are some PC bulbs out there that do produce useful PAR ranges for light loving Acropora and high light loving clams but I have yet to find any with long term success. I personally have not had a great amount of success with most SPS (Montipora capricornis and Hydnophora are one exception) but you might have some luck with some of the lower light loving clams like Derasa and Squamosa. I am not guaranteeing success but something that might work. Again stability, food, lighting, environment (i.e. water chemistry and flow dynamics) and water maintenance. A very had task but I do think it can and is being done. Do a little research and see what you can come with. Check www.nano-reef.com. Thanks for asking this important question here at WetWebMedia.Com. ~Paul>
Thanks for your time

Lighting options for a 30 gallon reef? - 11/17/04
Hey Guys
I am planning to set up a Coral Tank. The tank is approximately 30 gallons and is 20 inches deep (about 50 cm.s). Would I need to have metal halides for these? <Wallace, this is entirely based on what type of animals and corals one keeps. More specifically the corals. For corals I like metal halide (PFO is great brand that I highly recommend. We use them at the Monterey Bay Aquarium on a few tanks and I personally use them as well).> Or are 4 fluoros enough ? (e.g.. 2xactinic, 2xwhites).
What if I hold Clams? <For clam keeping and SPS corals I would recommend at least one 250 metal halide (best bet) or 400 metal halide (a little overkill but wouldn't hurt if you can keep the tank cool). More than likely the 250 HQI PFO pendant or retrofit will work for you again, depends on what else you will keep but if you want to keep any species of clam available then this would be your best bet. If you don't have the money then a good amount of power compacts would probably suffice.>
Thanks <Thank you for being part of it all. ~Paul>

Lighting Solution For A Small Tank
Hi,
<Hi there! Scott F. here today!>
I have been reading many of the articles on your site, and have found them extremely helpful in learning more about keeping and maintaining a healthy marine aquarium.  You have also helped me to test the merchants around me to find a good one.  Thank you!  And my fish thank you for keeping them alive!
<Awesome! Glad to hear it!>
If you bare with me, I have a few questions with regard to my lighting.  
<Sure!>
I have an aquarium that was custom built by my father-in-law.  It is very unique, and I won't go into too many details, but I have both fresh and salt water capabilities with the aquarium.  They are separate of course, but the way the tank is built only gives me 15 gallons for the salt water. The dimensions of the salt environment are 25" ht x 16" depth x 9" width. I currently have 2 Percula Clowns, a Sergeant Major, various snails, and live
rock with some small clams and sponges on it.  I would like to add an anemone, and encourage good algae growth, but am unsure of what lighting I can use.  I assume that any lighting I get for the salt water will not harm the fresh water fish (they will be sharing the same lighting).
<Well, lighting will not "harm" fish; obviously, some fishes like brighter light than others, of course....>
I figure that the salt water environment is more demanding and reactive to the type of lighting I have.  Right now I only have a 14watt bulb in a 16" hood and need to find something else.
<Agreed, if you are attempting to keep more demanding invertebrates. To be honest, I'd discourage the keeping of an anemone in such as small water volume. They demand high water quality, environmental stability, and intense lighting- something very hard to accomplish in a 15 gallon system.>
The light sits over the salt water environment, and the fresh water fish and plants receive light coming from
there (just off to the side).  The problem that I have is that I can't place a 3 or 4 foot light on the top of the tank, due to its' dimensions. Actually, a 4 foot light box would be larger than the width of the entire aquarium.  So, I will have to hang the lights somehow, unless you know of any 15" fluorescent lights that could actually work effectively?!
<There are a number of compact fluorescent retrofit, pendant, and hood systems that can work. Do check some e-tailers for these systems. PC, in my opinion, will give you the most "bang for the buck".>
Also, it is a tall tank, so I am unsure if I should use full-spectrum fluorescents, or metal halides.
<I would pass on halide in such a small system. The potential heat buildup can be disastrous for a small system>
The aquarium is made of Plexiglas, and I am not sure if
the halides would have an effect on that?  I know you recommended some full-spectrum fluorescents in a previous article, but I am wondering if you could give me a few more suggestions.  I was told that I should be looking for at least 10,000K, but I can't find a light that has that much Kelvin and is not 4 feet long.  So, I guess my first question would be do you know of any 15" full-spectrum fluorescent light bulbs that would be of high enough
quality to work with my aquarium?  Or, could you point me in the right direction on purchasing a new lighting system that will be sure to have the light penetrate to 25" and encourage my salt water environment to thrive, as well as not harm the fresh water fish?
<Again- PC's would do the trick...10,000k's are readily available in PC's.>
I'm also curious to know if you know of any full-spectrum fluorescents that are not in a "long tube" form that I
could place directly above the salt water part of my aquarium.  It would be optimal to have one light specific to the salt water, and then another similar light above the fresh water.
<PC's, again....>
Thanks, Jon
<My pleasure, Jon>

New to Saltwater + Coral - Part 2
Very good. I will go with the 65w retrofit or maybe more (if Eclipse can
take it? Not sure).
Which fluorescent tubes would you suggest as a constant in the Eclipse 3
hood with a 65w or higher retrofit?
I would like to keep the easier reef species (mushroom coral, star polyps,
etc.) that have been recommended.
Also, what shrimp or hermit crabs would flourish in the same environment:?
As always, advice and ideas are sincerely appreciated before I go spending
money!
>>>Hell again,
I don't know of any specific kits or fixtures for that hood, you may have to ditch it and use a pendant, not sure there.
I recommend www.hellolights.com. Give them a call or drop them an email, they can help you out.
As far as hermits go, scarlets are good, as are bluelegs (although a bit more predatory) I'd stick with a single scarlet in a tank that size, maybe two at the most. Cleaner shrimp do well, so consider one, or small group.
Cheers
Jim<<<

29 gallon Lighting
I'm currently reading John Tullock's "Natural Reef Aquariums", fantastic info. However, as I have had nothing but success with the Wet Web Crew's ideas and advice on my freshwater tanks, so I have a couple quick questions/comments y'all may help me with about possible reef ideas.
1) I understand it can be possible to light a reef with only fluorescent tubes (deep Indo Pacific reef?).
2) I would like to start with corals that may do well with minimum requirements (can any exist in this environment (2 x 18w T8 tubes, 29 gallon)?)
3) Any corals (and required fluorescent tubes) recommended for a 29 gallon Eclipse 3 hood?
If any of this sounds like a ridiculous idea, maybe a suggestion as to how I can step it up before I start spending money on this project? Or a better idea to wait until I can set-up a larger system? I have read of success with 3 gallon reef aquariums, I see no reason I cannot learn on a 29.
Also, I have read the various articles on the dilemma with protein skimmers and Eclipse hoods. That is something I will worry about after the lighting. One can always make something else fit, I just need to know if it will be worth the surgery on the hood. Thanks y'all!
-LH
>>>Greetings,
I recommend you spend a bit more on the lighting, and at least put a 65 watt PC fixture on that tank. At that point you can keep any number of mushroom corals, Zoanthids, star polyps and some softies.
There may be a PC retrofit kit available for that hood, but you'll have to do a search to find out. 32 watts is enough on smaller tanks, but given your water depth, I'd go with 65 watts at least. Even then, you're limited to low light inverts.
Good luck
Jim<<<

Lights for an Eclipse 3 hood
Bob,
<< Blundell tonight. >>
For the 2 fluorescent lights on an Eclipse 3 hood, what combination of lighting would you recommend for a coral reef? << Two blue and one white. >> I will be retrofitting the hood with compacts, but as a standard, are there any specific bulbs you recommend that fit the T8 18 watt that fit the Eclipse? I have been considering a deep reef. I am not sure retrofitting would even be necessary. Your thoughts are appreciated. Thanks,
<< It may be a good idea to replace the hood with a retro hood with more lights.  It just depends on what you want to keep.  That lighting system is fine for soft corals, but not stony corals. >>
WL Huiskamp
<<  Blundell  >>

Lighting for a 20 gal
Greetings, crew-
<< Hi there. >>
Will a Coralife Aqualight (24" 2x65W Compact Hood with 1x Actinic and 1x
10,000K) be enough to sustain a small reef tank with photosynthetic corals in a 20
gallon "high" (24w x 16h x 12d)? << Soft corals yes, but not enough for stony corals. >>  I have browsed lighting questions on your
site extensively, but there is not much information on smaller systems such as
the one I am considering. Thank you! << I have a 29 gal.  I use to have four 65 watt bulbs, but now have 300 watts of halides. >>
Tom
<<  Blundell  >>

Clarification on lighting in a minireef
Hello,
<Hi! Ryan with you today>
I've been searching thru the archives a bit (excellent resource)
about lighting in a reef tank and how "watts per gallon" is not an all to
accurate a measure of lighting requirements due to differences in lighting
types (PC, VHO, MH, etc.) <Yes, lighting should be carefully considered, with inhabitants in mind> I've had a 5g minireef running now for almost a
year with no problems, and a newer 75g.  On my 5g I am in the process of
bringing it up to a 10g (going from the horrible 10w 50/50 to hopefully a
bit better 96w quad 50/50 PC.)  From what a read, the power compacts don't
have quite the light penetration that a MH does, so symbiotic
corals/anemones/etc requiring higher lighting may not survive or need to be
placed towards the top. <Correct> Now that this is all said (assuming I've digested
all the information correctly) I have two questions; one, I've had a small
bubble tip anemone in the small 5g with a Percula clown, and due to the poor
lighting, it's obviously diminished a little bit over the last 6mos.  It's
still alive, but I have noticed the tips haven't "bubbled" in awhile.  If
moved to the tank with 10g tank with the 96w, could it possibly recover or
is it too far gone due to low light for too long? <Symbiotic algae will recolonize the anemone...But please acclimate him to the new light!  Search the FAQs for instructions> I tried moving it to the
large tank with stronger lighting, but learned the hard way that sometimes
peppermint shrimp will attack other anemones, so promptly removed it. <OK> My
second question is that while I save up to upgrade the lighting on the 75g
to include MH, I was thinking of getting some of the corals such a Porites
coral and growing it in the smaller tank until the larger tank has the light
strong enough in the next few months.  Since the PC lighting doesn't
penetrate thru as well as a MH would, would I'd be wasting my time on the
Porites for now? <I don't think you'd be able to get enough current in such a small space for a Porites...In my past I've had Porites come to their full potential at 15-20X per hour turnover!  I'd wait and do it correctly.  Good luck, Ryan>
Thank you,
-Mike

Lights for a small office tank
Hello wet friends,
<< Hello >>
I'm setting up a 14 gallon nano reef on my table in the office.
Dimensions: 24x12x12 inches.
I modified the hood to contain 6 18W NO tubes. (total 108 watts)
I'll use Philips Tld965 tubes (6500K, CRI=98, 870 lumens) or Tld950 (5300K, CRI=98, 900+lumens )
I also have some Philips 03 actinics.
I'd like to know which corals this light setup would support.
Should I install 3 daylight 3 actinics or 4 daylight 2 actinics, or would this matter at all?
<< I would install probably 4 daylight and 2 actinic.  Now if the tank is by a window, then go with at least 3 actinic. >>
Thanks,
Husnu
<<  Blundell  >>

6500k or 10000k in a nano reef?
WWM Crew,
<< Hi. >>
Hope everything is going good.  I have just a few questions for you
today.  I have a 10 gal Nano reef tank, with 1 small Montipora digitata, 1
small Montipora capricornis, 1 bulb tip anemone, and 1 pipe organ coral,
15lbs of live rock, 2 x 36watt 6500k pc's. Is the 6500 sufficient for
what I have? << That sounds okay. >> Should I get one 10k and one actinic, what is your
suggestion? << I think a 10k looks nicer, but the 10k may not be as fast of growing light.  Debatable, but the 6500 is probably a faster growing light. >> I am also planning on getting a clam, probably a derasa or
crocea. Which one stays smaller? << I wouldn't do this in a 10 gal tank.  They require lots of food and lots of light. >>  The second question is I have a 29g
sump in my larger 55g tank with approx 3.5 in of sand and lots of macro
algae. Should I put anything in there like snails or crabs to help move
it around and keep it clean, still the sand? << Nah, no reason to.  The worms and pods will take care of that. >> Last question. What are
some good low light corals that I could put in a fish only tank. I have
2 yellow tail damsels, 1 yellow tang and a maroon clown in the 55g tank
now.  Something that will grow fairly large with lots of color. << Well xenia and Anthelia are probably the best choices.  Also some mushrooms. >> Or is
there anything that would do well.
<<  Blundell  >>

Lights for a 20 gal
Hello once again.  I've done some searching around on the net & on your site
but I can't seem to find what I'm looking for.  I'm looking at buying the
24" Coralife Lunar Aqualight with 2x65w 10k & true Actinic, as well as 2
3/4w LEDs.  I can't find a review for them anywhere.  It's for a 20 gal
tank and I'm not looking to be able to sustain anything, just some basic
"beginner" corals. << I'd say this is fine light.  But for what you said, beginner corals, nothing fancy. >> Any bit of knowledge you have with this product would be
greatly appreciated.  Thanks a bunch. << Sounds like the lights I had on my 30 gal at first, so you should be fine. >>
Dean
<<  Blundell  >>

Lights for a 29 gal
Thanks for the advice.  What should I get for lighting?  Anything else?
<< Well I too have a 29 gal.  I started with four 65 watt pc's.  Now I'm running two 150 watt HQI halides.  I certainly think this is better and would probably recommend the same. >>
Appreciate it, Blundell.
Mark
<<  Blundell  >>

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 Montipora 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<<<