Lighting Question--eventually for LTA

[N8ster]

My inagural post!

I am setting up a new 90Gallon reef tank--4'X18"X24" deep--doesn't even have water yet.

Eventually (many months from now, after the tank is stable, I have done more research, etc., etc., etc.) I would like to get a BTA or an LTA.

However I would like to get the lighting sooner, and I would rather not have to swap it out later. After doing some research on lighting, I was considering getting a setup with 8X54W T5 HO Fluorescents (not as much heat output as the MH--I am in Texas), and using a mix of actinic+, aquablue, and midday lamps.

Haven't seen much on T5's for anemones. Will this lighting be sufficient? Any other lighting considerations I should be thinking about at this point?

 

[Mud Shrimp Moe]

Should be fine for BTA's. I have two BTA's under PC's and they're doing well. I've never had LTA's but my guess is they would be ok as well under this type of set up.

With a 90 in the "middle of Texas" you had better plan to put a fan on your sump and you might just need a chiller. I have a 75 up in Plano and I barely get by w/o one.

 

[Mud Shrimp Moe]

BTW, here are a few pics. Again, these are PC lights. All the pics are taken w/o flash and so they all tend to look a bit darker than they do in real life.

 

[kbinkerd@verizon.net]

That should be fine for a bubble tip since they like to be on a rock and can move closer to the light if they want. A LTA however prefers to have its foot buried in the sand and with a 24 inch deep tank will probably not get enough light with any thing less than MH. I have LTA in a 125 gal with VHO lighting and he does alright but is usually streachting pretty high to get the light.

 

[N8ster]

Moe, I enjoyed the pictures. Are those Premnas Biaculeatus clownfish? I really like how they look. Are they fairly mild tempered, or more on the agressive side?

For the comments--very helpful.

 

[Mud Shrimp Moe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7084825#post7084825 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by N8ster
Moe, I enjoyed the pictures. Are those Premnas Biaculeatus clownfish? I really like how they look. Are they fairly mild tempered, or more on the agressive side?

That's a Gold Striped Maroon. I'm not expert on the latin names, but from Googling, "Premnas Biaculeatus" seems to incorporate lots of the maroons. The "regular" maroons have white stripes. I prefer the coloration on the Gold Stripes. As for temperment, they're pretty danged fiesty, actually. Large for an anemone fish and fiestier than most. They are hearty, and host BTA's in the wild. It was a VERY easy pairing in my case. However, I stress they are a fiesty fish and will probably mess with particularly passive fish. In a 90 you should be ok with all but the most passive, however.