Lighting ?

[hej0710]

I have a 2x96W PC fixture that i had originally planned for a 65 gal FOWLR, but recently decided to go 20L nano reef. My question for the more experienced people out there is should i run just 1 96W 50/50 bulb @ 4.8W/gal for softies (mainly mushrooms, zoo's, and rics) or could i run both bulbs at just over 9W/gal for stonies as well? my fear with running both bulbs is that my softer corals will burn.

 

[LNell]

If you put your soft corals near the bottom, you should be fine.

 

[jer77]

You should be fine especially with only using PC's. I have 17.25 watts/gallon of MH and VHO actinics on my 12'' deep frag tank and I keep some shrooms, rics, zoos, and softies. I just don't keep them directly underneath the lights. And I adjust them to the light when I get new corals.

If your talking about just using PC lighting for sps corals I'd be a little skeptical even with 9W/gal.

 

[WaterKeeper]

Hi HEJ
[welcome]

Start out with just the one tube at first. After the coral acclimates to that level of light raise the hood about 8-12" above the tank and turn on the second tube. Lower the hood an inch or two every few day until it is back in place. You can also lower the photoperiod to around 8 hours and gradually increase it as you lower the canopy. This avoids photo-shocking the coral.

 

[michaeldaly]

I'd run both bulbs, one white and one actinic.

 

[hej0710]

^that's what i had planned on doing.

thanks all. i had counted on it being just a softie tank to begin with but i was concerned with burning some of the mushrooms and rics. i'll be sure to get pics up as soon as everything is up and running