Coral/Anemone lighting questions?

[swbeginner]

So right now I have a 1*65 watt pc light and I am wanting to change my lighting to accompany some softies and shrooms plus a bta. None of this will happen soon, but I am trying to figure it now for the future. It is a standard 30 gallon tank with a 20 gallon sump. I WAS planning on getting a t5 4*24 watt light to replace the pc, but then I had an idea. What if I simply added a 2*65 watt pc to the pc I already have? I assume that it would be okay for softies, but what about the bta? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[jkrentz2515]

If I were you I would get either 150w mh sunpod or 250w.

 

[swbeginner]

I have a canopy, would that be okay under it?

 

[swbeginner]

I am also trying to avoid having to buy a chiller.

 

[rbnice1]

I have a 29 gallon softy tank with a RBTA that was almost dead thats coming back nicley it is dbl the size it was and its starting to turn red again. Was all white when I got him. The Zoas in the tank are doing nicley as well. I have 2 PC's on it. one 10k one atinic. If I had it to do over 1 175MH woulda been cheaper and better light.

I am going to try some of those new 12k lights with the built in reflector. They are "supposed" to be much brighter.

 

[swbeginner]

Will the 3*65 watt pc idea work?

 

[swbeginner]

what if I added a 2*24 watt t5 to the 1*65 watt pc?

 

[swbeginner]

what about 2 sets of 2*24 watt t5s?

 

[rbnice1]

T-5's should be fine as long as they each have individual reflectors.

3-PC's would work.

1 PC and 2-4 T-5's with SLR's would work.

All those combinations would work with softies. 3 PC's or 1PC and 4 T-5's would work if you wanted LPS.

For SPS you will need more power. 5 or 6 T-5's, MH, something along those lines.

 

[swbeginner]

what about bta?