can soft corals be grown well under compact flourescent spotlights?

[fishnut321]

As in the same kind used for a fuge? I have a ton of soft corals, shrooms, xenia, zoas, cabbage leather that are taking up all my room in my tank. I want to build a prop system but am currently cheap because im still building my current tank with is progressing to sps dominated. Any thoughts?

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

As in the same kind used for a fuge? I have a ton of soft corals, shrooms, xenia, zoas, cabbage leather that are taking up all my room in my tank. I want to build a prop system but am currently cheap because im still building my current tank with is progressing to sps dominated. Any thoughts?

Cheap DIY lighting for softies?

Home depot has some cheap 4 ft T8 fixtures, they use 2 bulbs each and cost around $10. Two of those will grow most soft corals just fine.

Either that or find an old industrial metal halide ballast and make your own reflector out of roof flashing.

As for your original question, i have seen a 2.5 gallon with that kind of a bulb and the only coral in it ( a shroom) was stretching wayyyyy out trying to get closer to the light.

 

[Evil Nemo]

The home Depot solution looks like a good one.

 

[AndrewG]

For cheap PC lighting, take a look at aquatrader website. I don't know how long your tank is. Soft corals will do fine.

 

[Joe Pusdesris]

6500k compacts will work fine for shallow water corals like xenia and leather. I have never tried with mushrooms or the like.

 

[spamreefnew]

i had a softy frag tank with some homedepot shoplights on it and a seaclone skimmer. it worked awsome to grow soft frags! temperature was my only issue as it was a 20g tank in a cool basement

 

[singold]

Yes

 

[captstinky]

I feel like I'm paying a lot for PC lights, t-5 I'm told can be found cheaper. PC's will grow softies w/o a problem. My 2 cents

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

PC bulbs are more expensive, and they have to replaced about twice as often. But the initial cost is usually half of a T5 setup...so give and take you know?

 

[Joe Pusdesris]

PC vs T5s was not the question asked.