Light wattage for anemones
- Thread starter PACHY-FAN
- Start date
ThunderousTalon
New member
This is a really scary thread... 195watts of pc over a 55 unless the anemone is towards the top i wouldn't risk it. You've already asked earlier @ 125 watts i believe. Save up and do so me more research. PC lights need to be replaced for max efficiency every 6-8months. better off getting t5's or mh.
Watts per gallon is a very unreliable way of measuring.
Watts per gallon is a very unreliable way of measuring.
username in use
Sciencing Daily
i agree, you need to take into acount how deep the tank is, and how far above the tank the lights are. If you have a tall tanf that is 2 feet deep and your lights are a foot above the tank you probably dont have enough. If you have a 55g thats five feet long and only 8 inches deep you'll probably be fine. I also agree about t5's, think that a four bulb would be a minimum.
Try the pc's first. Everybody is an expert. I had my rose's under pc's for ever and never had a problem. I had a 60gal tall with a 195w pc and had a green carpet for 2yrs and sold it because it was getting to big for the tank. Do what you feel you need to do. If they start looking funny or acting funny then change your lighting but I think you will be fine. If you need to buy the lighting for that tank then go with mh's instead of pc's. But if you have the pc's already then go with those. I have had clam's under pc's and never had a problem. So go figure! No, I am not an expert. I just do things people say that can't be done. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't. Goodluck!
ocellaris123
Active member
Yes you can house a bubble anemone with the lighting you have listed. Hopefully you have individual reflectors on all of the bulbs to maximize light intensity into the aquarium. I'm assuming you have 3x65 watt bulbs. If you can get one more 65 watt lamp above the aquarium than you would be good to go. Make sure your lamps are as close to the surface as possible and hopefully the anemone is with in a foot from the light source (that is out of your control for the most part). I don't know why people say you cannot keep corals/bubble anemones under power compact lighting. Back 6-7 years ago power compacts, vho's, and metal halides were all used to light reef aquariums. Granted you couldn't keep clams, sps, with power compacts, I still feel they can adequately illuminate certain species of cnidarian. There is no need to spend 300-400 dollars on a new lighting system if all you want too keep is a rose anemone, soft corals, or certain Lps species. Before I upgraded to metal halide I myself used power compacts on any of the reef aquarium's I set up at the time, and I housed bubble anemones, LPS, and soft corals all long term with no problems/bleaching occurring and had good growth. Just because something better hit the market does not necessarily mean that the older equipment is obsolete. Power compact's can work in certain situations.
ThunderousTalon
New member
They know what they are talking about because they agree w/ you? Sure you can keep one alive under pc w/ the right set up, but you can also live on bread and water. its not ideal, nor will you thrive.
ThunderousTalon
New member
Who's mad? 
wrestle1952
Member
Regardless of what people tell you, it depends on your anemone, how it was shipped, stored, etc. One thing to keep in mind, anemones will wander. If you have any nice corals keep that in mind. They can sting other inhabitants. If they don't like where you've placed them they will wander until they find a place to their liking. They may stay ther for awhile and then move again.
