Lighting for anemone
- Thread starter caliAO
- Start date
chitown tom
New member
I run a 8x54 w t5 plus a 48" sb reef lights antic bar over my nem only tank.
Nems need good light.
Nems need good light.
duncanpate1
New member
top shelf
New member
What kinda nem is it? While they all require a lot of light it can differ from species to species. For instance a gig is gunna require more light then a bubble tip. Generally if you can keep sps under it you can keep a nem if that gives you an idea. That being said that orbit marine isn't gunna cut it. I would either return the nem or be replacing that fixture asap.
monkeysee1
Member
Yep. Nems need A TON of light, like the posters chitown tom and duncan said.
The Current Orbit Marine Pro is good for FISH ONLY tanks that have Triggers, Butterfles, Lionfish and Puffers, and other fish that like less intensely lit aquariums.
Get EcoTech Radions if you can afford them. OR A BUNCH of RED SEA T5's!!!!
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duncanpate1
New member
Max blue, maybe %50 white?
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duncanpate1
New member
Blue penetrates the water much deeper than white.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Mars aqua Chinese leds. Til you can get better ones they will work just fine. Good par and blues and whites. They are full spectrum. Everyone will probably say they are crap but look them up for yourself. Just don't expect a Lexus when you bought a Honda. They will perform just fine but it won't have all the bells and whistles.
duncanpate1
New member
Ron Reefman
Active member
It's really less about how well the light penetrates the water (but that is very true) and more about what spectrum of light the zooxanthellae (algae) inside the corals, anemones and clam use to do photosynthesis which helps feed the host. The zooxanthellae use a variety of spectrum in the violet to blue/green range and some, but much less in the red spectrum.
Most of these animals would do pretty well with just blue light. But they do look better to us with some white light. And since white is made up of red, green and blue all added together (think RGB as in TV or stage lighting), the red in the white covers that requirement as well.
Also, getting white light makes for better pigment production and therefore better looking colors. Just like we turn colors if we go out in the sun (tan or sunburn red) corals protect themselves by making pigments as well, just different colors than we do! LOL!
Hopefully these graphs will help.
schnebbles
New member
I just had a reputable aquarium store that my mom has dealt with for a long time tell me one should be ok with the Orbit Marine Pro. I do not get the impression she wants to sell me the anemone because I asked about several corals and she said no. I have a 40b so it's not that deep.
davocean
Active member
Rons, lighting explanation is helpful but I also agree w. Topshelf, really varries among species of nem and BTA's are more forgiving in this area, expect it will probably climb up high w/ that light fixture you have now.
Your easiest resolve IMO is to add something like a 2 lamp T5 strip to what you have, and really my own preference is to have a T5/LED combo.
As or more importantly hopefully your tank has enough established LR to be stable enough since it's new, normally we wait at least 6mo for a nem.
Your easiest resolve IMO is to add something like a 2 lamp T5 strip to what you have, and really my own preference is to have a T5/LED combo.
As or more importantly hopefully your tank has enough established LR to be stable enough since it's new, normally we wait at least 6mo for a nem.
top shelf
New member
Agree with Vbwjjeep on the Mars Aqua led, any of the more well known Chinese led's will work just fine. You.could stick with that or save for a better one but many or just as happy with their black box led's. Really the choice is yours but even being a bta I would still upgrade quick as possible. davocean has an excellent suggestion as well. You could add a retrofit t5 kit to that fixture as well and have should have enough light. After I recover from some recent expenses I plan to add 2 t5's to my maxspect razr.
