Lighting question?

[davidandliz]

i just ordered a light for my tank and they claim its 192 watts and farther on i read that it is 2 bulbs of 96 one daylight and one actinic 03 will this be alright for my 45 gallon tank? does the watts stack when you have 2 bulbs?

 

[logans_daddy]

its going to depend on what you plan on keeping. it will probably be sufficient for corals needing low/medium light. for corals or anemones that require more light, your PC's wont have enough PAR to allow the animals to thrive.

shawn:bum:

 

[davidandliz]

i dont know what pcs stand for or par

 

[duckdawg299]

PC is an abbreviation for power compact which sounds like the type of bulb you may be using.

PAR is an acronym for photosynthetically active radiation. You can think of it as light intensity. The intensity will decrease the further from you get away from the source. So depending on the type of corals you plan to keep will determine if your lighting is appropriate.

Most of the hard corals require more intense lighting i.e. sps (small polyp stoney) corals and lps (large polyp stoney).

- anyone else please jump in if I'm not correct -

Who would have thought there would be so much science involved in keeping a fish tank?

 

[gillianandjoe]

Dave and Liz,

I don't know nearly what some of the other folks here do, as I am pretty new as well. I will say that the research I've done says that the anenomes and clam that you have in your tank are going to need better lighting. That being said, I started off with regular flourescent lights as well, then upgraded to PC's when I decided I wanted to try a reef tank. I wish that I had done more research though, because I would have bit the bullet and went for the metal hallides. The cost of all the wrong equipment is going to far outweigh the cost of the right.

Good Luck,

Joe

P.S. Any Pictures of your current setup?

I

 

[kaptken]

Bingo!!

You hit the nail on the head, D&L, The perenial problem of the great compromise and under estimating what we intend to do with our tanks. It is true, we start with small expectations of what we will keep in our tanks, but as we learn of the possibilites, we constantly upgrade. Ergo, the thriving trade of "only slightly used" equipement and lights. But no problem. Each mans blunder is the next reefers prise. We learn what we want, and can set up and maintain. It's a good deal. So as you imply, research and planning are the task of the day.

Starting slow and small has it's advantages. In both cost and success, as smaller systems are easier to make big changes in when necesary. Like bio filters,water changes or flow rates. Once you get some feel for the bio system balance, you can move up with more confidence. It's all about water chemistry, bio health, light( the energy input) and maintenance.

So , I'm glad you joined the club. and are one of us. There are tons of people here willing to share their expeiences and information. and help us all understand things better.

I have found that, there are no wrong ways. Just lots of ways that dont work out as we expected.

So...Good luck to us all!!