Lighting? for sps

[viper20]

I have a 55 gal tank and thinking of getting into sps corals. I'm looking at a Coralife Aqualight Double Linear Strip Compact Fluorescent fixture, 4X65 Watt, 48 inch. Will this be sufficient enough for the sps corals? Any help would be appreciated!

 

[BillyC]

It would be enough to maybe keep them alive and brown. If you want to keep color and good growth I'd highly recommend saving your money and getting 2x175w metal hallides or 6x54w T5s. The reason power compacts are so cheap and available everywhere used is because people don't have as much success with them versus metal hallides and T5s.

 

[Mark 75g]

Agreed. Go with the metal halides. When I first started I had compacts and kept soft coral.
you could probably even do 150w mh with a 55g

 

[lolgranny]

Pc's are old and out dated. Pick yourself up some MH / T5's if you want sps. Over a 55g i would do a 6bulb 36" ati sunpower if it was me. 6 bulbs give you a good choice of bulbs to do what you want with them. Or a 6 bulb Tek. You dont need it to be as long as your tank if you want to save some $ (assuming your tank is 48") i always go a size down. Leaves room for you to put lower light corals on the side / chalices...ect.

Or go 2-250w halides. Totally your call. Over my 40g i have a 250w halide +2 65w PC(the PC's dont do much if anything imo) I will be upgrading once i make a canopy to a 250w in a good reflector + 2 T5 supp bulbs.

Best of luck

 

[viper20]

Thanks for the advise. Any suggestions where to get a good price on the recommended lights?

 

[viper20]

Thanks for all the advice. Any recommendations on the best place to buy these kind of light fixtures?

 

[lolgranny]

I would google search the fixture and you can usually find the cheapest that way. I got a bunch of stuff in bulk and salty supply cut me a deal on it. Could always try that route?

 

[BillyC]

Check your local classifieds and see if there is a local reef club around you for the best deals on used fixtures. My advice on buying used is never ever ever trust the life of the bulbs included. Always start fresh with new bulbs. Can't stress this enough Sellers always miraculously have bulbs that are only "1 month old."

 

[lolgranny]

Check your local classifieds and see if there is a local reef club around you for the best deals on used fixtures. My advice on buying used is never ever ever trust the life of the bulbs included. Always start fresh with new bulbs. Can't stress this enough Sellers always miraculously have bulbs that are only "1 month old."

+1 on that. You can always find a used fixture on here for much cheaper if you want to go that route.