Please Help Me With My Lighting!!

C

cox3497

Registered Member
Dec 10, 2005
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Hey all,

I'm new here, and I was wondering if anyone might be able to lend me some help in trying to figure out what I need for lighting my tank. I have spent countless hours researching articles on the internet and I cannot seem to find specific enough information for what I need. I just found this forum and I'm pretty excited about it! Back to the question, though, I have an All-Glass 36 gallon bow front aquarium. It has basically just finished cycling, and now I want to add some anemones and possibly later some corals. I now they are very sensitive, and I've researched some regarding that. I am a newbie to saltwater, but I've had freshwater for years. I want this to be a combination fish/invertebrate type tank.

I need to get a light set up that would enable me to have this more delicate type of marine life. Right now, I'm probably only going to start with the anemone. I currently have the standard one-tube pre-packaged light that came with the tank. What light setup can I buy that is the most economically feasible while still providing the aquarium inhabitants with the light they need. I am EXTREMELY grateful for any insight you might have to share. Thanks a lot.

cox3497
 
Firstly, you seem to be under the impression that anemones are less challenging to keep than corals. Unfortunately, anemones are extremely difficult to keep and should only be kept in mature tanks with proper lighting. Moreover, anemones tend to wander all over a tank stinging everything in its path and often wind up "food processed" against a powerhead especially in a smaller tank.

http://www.carlosreef.com/AnemoneFAQ.pdf

That said, you can definitely build up for an anemone with the proper experience and equipment. Lighting is one of the most important considerations as you well know. Don't skimp on it. Think long term.

At a minimum, look into a multiple PC fixture like the Coralife Aqualight series. If you want the capability of housing more animals (like anemones), you are looking into either metal halides (by themselves or with fluorescent supplementation) or T5-HO. There's a myriad of different fixtures and brands and combinations, but remember that you get what you pay for.

Check out hellolights.com and reefgeek.com (among others).
 
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