Is is possible (wise) to keep sps under pc lighting

blackangler

New member
I am wanting to turn my 35 into a sps reef, but it currently only has two 96 watt powerquads on it. i have a spare 400 watt mh that im not using, but due to high heat output im reluctant to use.
Is it possible to keep sps under the current lighting.
 
possible,but not wise-if you enjoy brown corals that are barely surviving -i had a couple or montiporo's that did ok in my first tank but they didn't thrive and have the same healthy look as my corals do now.
 
I was only planning on monti caps, and maby birds nest, but unless anyone has had any real success then i guess its time to put the mh back on:(
 
orange and green montis will do fine under pc's. but anything blue/purple will most likely brown out. The green slimer will stay green under pc's as well.
 
I keep a piece of elkhorn montipora in a NC6 (18w) that has nice growth and a nice greenish color that is different than under MH.
 
Try doing it BB. Werent people having all sorts of issues with BB tanks having to reduce lighting to 3 or 4 hours a day?


if you get the nutrients low enough, PCs may be fine.


That being said, I've grown digi and caps under PCs fine.
 
Depends on what kinds of corals. I wouldn't keep a coral that is most common in the first 10 m of water, but I'd definitely consider something that is most common at like 25 m. I mean, there are a solid 700 species of corals that could be called "sps." Some live in deep water. If you want to try it, pick some of those. I'd avoid most Acropora.

Chris
 
MCsaxmaster, what I'm saying is a lot of the barebottom guys have been having bleaching issues with even the most high light stuff because their water is clean. They have way too much light, and have had to go down to lower lighting periods. (some as little as 2-3 hours)


In most situations, theres a lot less light at 10m then there is in our tanks. The difference is water quality.
 
what I'm saying is a lot of the barebottom guys have been having bleaching issues with even the most high light stuff because their water is clean.

How would clean water cause bleaching?

They have way too much light, and have had to go down to lower lighting periods. (some as little as 2-3 hours)

Too much light as compared to what? Corals can grow up to and even beyond the low tide line. The light there is a heck of a lot brighter than what any corals are getting in any aquarium.

In most situations, theres a lot less light at 10m then there is in our tanks.

No, there isn't. It's pretty bright at 10 m.

The difference is water quality.

Then why don't corals bleach in nature in very good water quality in very shallow water under a 12 hr photoperiod when it is much brighter than an aquarium for at least 8 of those 12 hrs?

Chris
 
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