ZooMed lights and Corals

stboerma · Jul 11, 2004

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

RothChyld · Jul 11, 2004

In my honest opinion I would not attempt an anenome with that kind of lighting. Florescents aren't necessarily the strongest bulbs for reef tanks and generally fall at the bottom scale. If you don't want to spend the money right now try some mushroom anenomes (not for the clowns), Polyps, or other low light corals. If you really start to like it upgrade to Power Compacts or Metal Halides.

You may be able to get a condy anenome (generally cheap, hardy, and do not require a whole lot of light) but the odds of your clowns housing in it are slim. (My maroon clown does tho).

Hope this helps.

Mike

mogurnda · Jul 12, 2004

I agree with RothChyld (and your LFS) that 2X18 normal fluorescent bulbs is very low light. However, a lot of people retrofit Eclipse hoods for PCS. 55 watts will allow you to keep some softies, and my neighbor has had good growth with his frogspawn (a large-polyped stony-LPS-) with 55W over a 29.

I have had excellent growth of soft and stony corals with 130W of PC over a 20 tall. I think your LFS is wrong about the need for halides for stony corals. The vast majority of LPS, brains, and even a lot of small-polyped stony (SPS) corals can grow well under PC or T5s.

stboerma · Jul 12, 2004

Hi.

So what you are saying is as long as I upgrade to at least a 130W, I can start adding both soft and hard corals?

I have heard, but not research very hard, that some people think Metal Halides are unnecessary. Seems like that is your opinion as well?

Since you are having luck with 130W I may give that a try.

Thanks!

--Steve

mogurnda · Jul 12, 2004

In a small tank like a 29, you don't really need halides for the majority of corals. Really finicky corals, like acropora, may not do as well, but I haven't tried them. Montipora does great.

Instead of PCs, you might look into T5s. With the propoer reflector, you'll get more usable light per watt, and it may be easier to retrofit your hood with the narrower bulbs.

RothChyld · Jul 12, 2004

I ran power compact lights for 4 years with no major issues. You just need to be somewhat more selective. I have a 90 gallon tank and had 2x36 watt day lights, 2x18 actinics, and another 48" 40 watt actinic. It did just fine keeping bubbles, sponges, gorgs, shrooms, hammers, torches, and condies. I was not successful at anenomes, open brains, or organs pipes. That is not to say it was lighting tho.

I upgraded to metal halides as after 4 years I was ready to try something different.

Mike


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ZooMed lights and Corals

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