MH for soft coral growth..Good or Bad?

[ProdigalPoster]

Someone told me Metal Halides for soft corals was a bad idea and chances are it'd burn them.

Any truth to this?

I'm trying to make a 40g prop thank considering VHO atm.

But, what about a Metal Halide w/ VHO system?

 

[Reefmaniac1]

You can burn ANY coral with MH lights. The trick is to acclimate them to the intensity. You need to start off new specimens at the bottom of the tank, though and slowly move them upwards to where you want them.

 

[ProdigalPoster]

Ah! Well thanks!

 

[angiras]

i currently run 2x150w DE pendants over a 36" wide 21" deep 58 gal. I have a large colt coral whose tips are almost at the water's surface. I've seen no damage from the light.

I think the key is - how much light do you have over how much depth as well as what kind of light was the coral under when you purchased it.

Fwiw. Ben

 

[Foolkiller]

I have two 250Watt MH over a 46Bow. I was concerned about the same thing a while back. I've only lost one small acro due to it. I have plenty of zoo's, xenia, and a yellow leather with no problems (other than the Xenia needs to be cut back like weeds)
Jim

 

[colton]

tuck the sensitive specie under some live rock let them grow, them move them up in your tank closer to the intense light.

URL removed

 

[reefsrus]

I think softies actually do a lot better under halide, my xenia grows 4 times faster than it ever did under vho, or pc.

 

[magillo]

If anything soft corals and zoo are going to love you for MH lights, maybe with exception of the some mushrooms.

Most of the soft corals and zoos prefer moderate or high light.

 

[Mr.Lloyd]

I have mushrooms growing well on a rock that came from another tank.They are low but the tank has 2600 watts of MH at 20,000K and the mushrooms are under one of the 400's.

 

[ReefaPro]

I've noticed that my polyps dont stand up as much as they use to. they grow quickly but i dont think they look as nice as they did under pc's when i had them. I think I am going to raise my MH's a couple of inches and retro fit some actinics below them