Hi.
About 4-5 months ago, I bought an eclipse system starter system (marine). It included a hood which houses the filtration system and lights.
In the hood, there are locations for 2 18w max 24" bulbs.
The tank is 30w x 12d x 18 tall.
It is running great... I have about 6 pieces of Live Rock, 2 Clowns, 3 Neon Gobies, 3 Red Legged Hermit Crabs, 2 Turbo Snails, a few Cerith Snails, and a Snail that came with and "popped" off my live rock a week ago.
All tests (Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate) show zero levels.
I am thinking about adding an anenome (for the clowns) and maybe start adding some soft/hard corals.
A few days ago, at my local Petco, I purchased 2 bulbs from ZOOMED (http://www.zoomed.com/html/lites.php). These bulbs are the 50/50 REEF*SUN bulbs. This website claims these bulbs are good for photosynthetic corals and invertebrates.
I was in my local pet shop and they tell me that in order for me to keep any soft corals and anenomes, I need a lot of light and the ZooMed bulbs (which they don't carry) are not nearly enought wattage. They tell me that for Soft Corals for my tank (40 Gal) will need at least 130W fixture which is 3 watts per gallon... Hard Corals, they say, I will need a Metal Haylide (sp?).
Question...
Has anyone ever successfully kepts Corals and Anenomes with these ZooMed lights that are only 18watts?
Or will I have to spend the money for a 130W+ lighting fixture (for the soft corals) and a Metal Haylide (sp?) for the Hard Corals?
Thanks!
--Steve
About 4-5 months ago, I bought an eclipse system starter system (marine). It included a hood which houses the filtration system and lights.
In the hood, there are locations for 2 18w max 24" bulbs.
The tank is 30w x 12d x 18 tall.
It is running great... I have about 6 pieces of Live Rock, 2 Clowns, 3 Neon Gobies, 3 Red Legged Hermit Crabs, 2 Turbo Snails, a few Cerith Snails, and a Snail that came with and "popped" off my live rock a week ago.
All tests (Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate) show zero levels.
I am thinking about adding an anenome (for the clowns) and maybe start adding some soft/hard corals.
A few days ago, at my local Petco, I purchased 2 bulbs from ZOOMED (http://www.zoomed.com/html/lites.php). These bulbs are the 50/50 REEF*SUN bulbs. This website claims these bulbs are good for photosynthetic corals and invertebrates.
I was in my local pet shop and they tell me that in order for me to keep any soft corals and anenomes, I need a lot of light and the ZooMed bulbs (which they don't carry) are not nearly enought wattage. They tell me that for Soft Corals for my tank (40 Gal) will need at least 130W fixture which is 3 watts per gallon... Hard Corals, they say, I will need a Metal Haylide (sp?).
Question...
Has anyone ever successfully kepts Corals and Anenomes with these ZooMed lights that are only 18watts?
Or will I have to spend the money for a 130W+ lighting fixture (for the soft corals) and a Metal Haylide (sp?) for the Hard Corals?
Thanks!
--Steve