Help on lighting a 16 gallon

[Doglover_50]

I've recently purchased a 16 gallon tank (20 inches long, around 14 inches or so to the substrate bed).

Question: What is the *minimum* amount of lighting I need to keep my corals flourishing--I am keeping basic things like zoa and polyps and mushrooms and zenia--NO acro.

Price IS a factor for me here. I bought the Coralife mini aqualight unit that is 18 watt (two lamps--9 white 10k, 9 watt true actinic). WAY underpowered. BUT--if I bought a second of this little units, would that be enough--36 watts total, of which 18 are actinic? these units are only $25.

Thanks

 

[sundevil_brian]

you can get a pc retro from ah supply for about $65 the 2x55 watt is 22 in long so that might be a lil too long but the 2x36 should work if you are willing to spend the $65.
so for a little more then what you will spend on two of the mini aqualights you could get twice the amount of lighting.

 

[Zero-2-Sixty]

the minis suck, i say a 2x36 watt pc retro also

or you could get the 20" 150 watt metal halide fixture with pc actinics from aquatraders (just kidding)

 

[Doglover_50]

So it sounds like the answer is basically 72 watts or more. Right now I have a spare set of 2 x 65 watt (no hood or fixture or anything) I'm blasting the tank with for about 6 hours per day when I get home. The lighting is great, but the lights are about 4 inches too long.....