how much lighting do i REALLY need?

Andy16

Andy16

AC Members
Dec 10, 2002
766
1
0
36
Wisconsin
Visit site
Ok, i thought i understood this part of keeping a reef tank but i guess not. My plan is to have 3X55 from ahsupply. (actually 1 1X55 watt kit and 1 2X55 watt kit.) The tank is 20 gallons. I dont want to be restricted from any corals and be upset with what i bought. I know that i cant afford MH so its PCs for me.
Will this work? Now i dont know if getting that would give me enough light.
(i also want enough light for clams.)
 
165 total watts over a 20 gallon tank?!? You ought to be able to grow whatever the heck you want. The general rule is 3-5 watts per gallon, so you ought to be plenty covered with the lighting set up you've got. I'd maybe try using a combination of a 10,000 K bulb and an actinic.
 
Thats what, about 8 watts per gallon. Thats a good deal of light. I think you will have success getting most any corals to grow... Infact some lower light corals may do better if under a live rock overhang to have a little shadow.

I'd do the 1x55 as Actinc and the 2x55 as both 10's. and put them on timers. Turn the Actinic on an hour before and off an hour later than the 10k bulbs.

You'll be set.
 
Well, i jsut got a reply to my email back from ahsuply, and they said 3X55s would work(phew). Thanks for hte help. Is that enough lights for clams?
 
Yes, that should be plenty. My LFS has a 125 gallon reef tank with a GIANT clam in it, and it is lighted by around 500 watts of power compacts. Their clam is thriving with 4 watts per gallon, so yours ought to do great with 8 watts per gallon.
 
While the 165 watts of light will allow you to keep most corals and clams, it will most likely not be enough to keep all corals and clams. I would stay away from most of the sps species. Montipora, pocillipora and porites(all sps) should be ok with that lighting but I would stay away from acropora and some of the other high light demanding corals. For clams, I would start with derasa and squamosa. Remember that lighting is only 1 componant in keeping these higher level critters. You will also have to keep calcium levels above 425 and have good, random water movement of at least 15 X your tank volume for the sps.

Brian
 
The replies on RC are essentially the same as you got here. Nobody recommends maxima or crocea clams under PC, but derasa and squamosa should be fine. I am getting excellent Montipora and soft coral growth with 130 watts on my 20, but haven't had the squamosa long enough to say anything yet. Keep in mind what Brian said about Ca and alkalinity.
 
O sorry about that. They way the people at RC put it was that you shouldnt even bother with PC and just get MH. What is up with the term LPS and SPS? That still confuses me, but i understand stony and soft corals. IS that what it means?
 
Originally posted by Andy16
O sorry about that. They way the people at RC put it was that you shouldnt even bother with PC and just get MH. What is up with the term LPS and SPS? That still confuses me, but i understand stony and soft corals. IS that what it means?
Click to expand...

LPS is Large Polyp Stony
SPS is Small Polyp Stony

If I'm not mistaken. An example of an LPS would be a Frogspawn while an SPS would be something like a Montipora.

Correct me if I'm wrong on this guys.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom