New SPS coral, do i have enough light?

[garrett3423]

i just got a lovely new teal Acropora coral. $35 for a colony about 4 inches tall and 7 branches. good deal or what? flow is varied, chemistry is good, supplements are added, now my only concern is to make sure i have enough light. i have a 30 gallon tank with a ten gallon sump. and the show tanks lit by a 65 watt actinic blue compact fluorescent bulb, and a 65 watt 12k daylight compact fluorescent bulb. i leave them on for at least 12 hours a day and have the coral situated nicely towards the top of the tank. so do you think that's enough light? or should i shell out some money and find a good metal halide to shine on it? money is a factor so if it would be fine without it, at least for now, that would be great too

 

[garrett3423]

 

[fanandy8]

You're going to need more light. With those CF you could keep them at the very top and keep them alive for a while, but they probably won't grow very much if at all. I would look into a T5 fixture or MH setup. Looks like you scored some zoas on the bottom of the colony.

 

[SAZAMA]

nope, its gonna turn brown. get a cheap ballast and upgrade to MH

 

[garrett3423]

any recommendations on good ones out there? like price to quality ratio

 

[Chondro 5]

check out aquacave.com, you can get a 150 watt ballast and reflector for $160 shipped and then pick up a $20 bulb off ebay.

 

[CichlidMan@<3]

Look at a JBJ Viper K2. I'm pretty sure they come either with 70 watt or 150 watt model

 

[garrett3423]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Aquarium-Light-...0QQcmdZViewItemQQssPageNameZRSS:B:SRCH:US:101
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-250-Watt-Me...7QQcmdZViewItemQQssPageNameZRSS:B:SRCH:US:101

found those 2, seem like good deals to me. i can fix em up in an enclosure. im leaning towards the 400 watt, but would it run insanely hot? and although im sure both are plenty bright enough for the corals but would it be worth the extra money for the 400 watt?

 

[CichlidMan@<3]

400 is a ton for that sized tank

 

[garrett3423]

so the 250? and what k rating?

 

[gts1218]

I would say 14k, so you get the blue tint for color and still can get the growth. just my opinion.

 

[Dustin1300]

I'd say a 250 Watt bulb at 14k which gives a nice blue tint. I'd recommend buying a nicer light pendant/ballast as this is one of the most important investments outside of the skimmer.

My Phoenix 14ks were so much brighter once I got a nice quality ballast. Cheap lighting is also a fire risk! You seem to get what you pay for on ebay.

 

[garrett3423]

alrighty, and i might upgrade later on, moneys just the main issue right now

 

[ChicagoReefOne]

I'd look at a t5 fixture, those retrofits that you are looking at are going to require some work to be usable (they'll need a glass lens to prevent saltwater from splashing the bulb, etc.) plus a t5 will run cooler than MH which is a big consideration if you live somewhere warm or don't have a chiller.

 

[Dustin1300]

If you keep your house cooled well (70-75 range) then heat is not a problem with tanks. I have a small fan that kicks on across my sump while the halides on to keep the temperature even more stable. MH IMO is your best option with SPS with supplementary T5 lighting.

 

[ChicagoReefOne]

If you keep your house cooled well (70-75 range) then heat is not a problem with tanks. I have a small fan that kicks on across my sump while the halides on to keep the temperature even more stable. MH IMO is your best option with SPS with supplementary T5 lighting.

Agreed, but to my point, you have to have your house *always* cooled to 70-75, if you don't have AC or climate control temperature spikes in the house will lead to temperature spikes in the tank.

I'd agree that the MH/t5 is best option, pricey tho.

 

[Arkayology]

fishneedit 250W MH fixtures are good for the money. search for their site and check it out.