Lighting Purchase

[peterkay]

Hi all,
I want to upgrade my lighting and I want to know if metal halide is necessary. My tank is pretty new (about 5 months old), it's a 15G FOWLR. I've got 2 ocellaris clowns, 3 hermit crabs and a half dozen snails in there right now. However, I do intend to start investing in some coral, and perhaps an anemone in the future. Everything I've read has said that in order to house either of them, you need 4-5 Watts per gallon. The lights I'm considering have one double strip 65W 10,000K and one double strip 65W True Actinic blue as well as 2 LED moon lights for a total of 130 Watts. That gives me a little more than 8.5 watts per gallon which as far as I know, should be enough. However, I was hoping that I could get some advice here as to whether or not the lights I'm considering would be enough to allow corals and or anemones to thrive. Thanks in advance to everyone for their advice!

Peter

 

[bertoni]

That tank is pretty small for most anemones. For soft corals, the 2x65 W PC fixture is okay. For stony corals, I'd suggest looking into a small T5 setup. MH would work, but it's likely not so efficient with that size tank. Maybe one of the 70 W setups is okay, though.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

dont go by "watts per gallon"...prolly one of the most inaccurate rules to go by.

And especially since you're talking about power compact lights (PC's) that makes that rule even more inacurate. PC's do not penetrate very well at all. You more than likely will not be able to keep an anemone with that lighting. You could keep any softy coral that you wanted tho, and prolly some lps corals.

Is this tank 24 inches long? I think 15g tanks are....if so, get a 4x24w t5 HO fixture if you can.

here is the set fixture of one that people recommended me..
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...T5_HO_Fluorescents_(Black)_by_Sunlight_Supply

or if you have a canopy, maybe this one? Same thing, just retrofit. And get the upgraded reflectors (the icecap ones) they're only 8 bucks more for those.
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...:_4-24W_T5_HO_Fluorescents_by_Sunlight_Supply

Those would both allow you to grow whatever you wanted. You may even be able to get by with just a 2x24w, but IMO 4 would be better.

 

[peterkay]

Thanks for all the replies! I've attached a link to the lights that I was considering. What do you think?

Peter

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200061649681&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=010

 

[xenon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9441125#post9441125 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by peterkay
Thanks for all the replies! I've attached a link to the lights that I was considering. What do you think?

Peter

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200061649681&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=010

I have the same light for my quarentine tank, accept mine is the 36" 2x96w. It's "ok" but I would not use it for a reef.

The light sir_dudeguy posted is by far a better choice.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

Thanks for all the replies! I've attached a link to the lights that I was considering. What do you think?

like i said above, pc's arent gonna grow you an anemone IMO.

Also, take the bulb cost, lifespan, and output into consideration.

PC bulbs should be changed about every 6 months or so (depending on the hours you run them).

T5 HO bulbs can last about a year and a half.

For PC's, the cheapest bulbs you're gonna find are about 21 bucks (hellolights.com).

If you go with those T5's, you'll be paying about 19 bucks...ya, only 2 bucks difference...so like 16 bucks difference per year is all. But still...it adds up.

I've got 4x96w pc's on my 40. They cost 16 bucks per month just to RUN. I'm gonna switch to 4x39w T5's (the same one i linked you to) and it will cost me around 6 bucks per month. So thats like 120 bucks per year that i'm saving just on running the bulbs. And then there's the fact that you could grow ANYTHING with the t5's and you're stuck with softies and a couple lps and MAYBE something like a digitata if its up near the top.

 

[peterkay]

Thanks again everyone for all your replies. I'm sooo glad I wrote before buying. I'll start reading into T5's and see what I can find.

cheers
Peter

 

[lifesworksataol]

if you can afford it buy the t5 or hqi or mh - nut tons of people do fine with pc - i had my anem perfectly happy with regular floresent bulbs - 40w x 4 - in a 55 gal - do what you can