Any suggestions for lighting?

[pontiac]

Just got two 36inch corralife power compacts to put on my 150gal for 150 bucks, they are about six months old and seen to be working okay. My question was, do you think they will work out okay for some hard and soft coral, and if so what bulbs would you recamend? You guys are great at this stuff and any help would be great! Thanks again guys!

 

[sir_dudeguy]

I would definately look into lighting before buying them next time. They MIGHT get you some of the less light needy soft corals, but definately not any of the sps corals. You'd have to keep the softies up higher too. Pc's on a 150 are kinda useless imo.

 

[pontiac]

So, what you are saying is I cannot possibly keep anything alive with a pc?

 

[benray4fun]

You're gonna need 5 to 10 watts per gallon for what you want. 300 watts of pc lighting isn't as intense as 300 watts of T-5's or MH's and intensity is what you want for the corals you're hoping for.

 

[pontiac]

Well, that is what i could afford for now, and i was just wondering if 2 10ks and two actcinics would do? I just wanted to start with some of the easy to care for stuff.

 

[reefworm]

My soft corals, mushrooms and lps did fine under pc's. Wouldn't recommend sps or clams, though.

 

[pontiac]

That is what I wanted to try, A few soft corals and shrooms, I wanted to stay away from any of the sps and clams until i can get a mh system, any certain bulbs u would recomend for me? Right now i have the two 10k's and two actcinics in the pc, and a 48'' flourecent with a super daylight and 50 /50 in it.

 

[reefworm]

sounds like that's about right. I have the daylights on for 12 hours a day, and the actinics on one hour before and after the daylights are on.

 

[pontiac]

Cool, thank's, I hope to have some mh's by this time next year.