New to RC - Questions/Comments

[Mac73]

Hello All:

I am new to RC and Marine Aquariam keeping. My set-up includes a 46 gallon bow-front tank, Penguin 350 dual-bio wheel filter, two air-stones, 350 watt submersible heater and a recently added (today) 150 W, 20,000 K MH light, mounted 6" inches above the glass canopy. Previous light was a 36" 40 watt, natural-daylight fluorescent.

The tank is three weeks old and appears to have cycled. Ammonia = .1, PH=8.3, Nitrites = 0, Nitrate = 0. I have approx 60-70 lbs live sand and approx 35-40lbs of live rock, two 1 1/2 inch clowns, 1 royal gramma, a few snails, two peppermint shrimp and two emrald crabs.

I switched lights today because the one and only coral I have in the tank, not sure of the name, (hard rock like exterior, with brown polyps that extend 1" to 2" and have white, finger like tips) has not been looking healthy the last 2 days. (The polyps are not extending as far as usual, some did not even come out at all today, and the brown translucent "stems" are darker and more cloudy.) PO4 and CA are Ok, so I figure it must be the light.

After swithing to the 150 MH light my tank does not look as "bright" as it did with the 40 watt fluorescent. Is this normal?
Do I need to add another light source to keep a "basic" reef/fish tank?

Also, how long should I keep my MH light on for?

Thanks in advance for any adive....

 

[bertoni]

[welcome]

That light should be fine for the tank. The difference in brightness is hard to judge. What sort of reflector does the new lamp have?

The coral you have might need some adjustment to the new lighting. If it's getting a lot more light, it might actually be damaged, so you might want to consider putting it into the shade for a bit here.

I leave my lights on 10 hrs a day, and that seems okay.

 

[Mac73]

Bertoni:

Thanks for the reply, the reflector is shiny metal and the bulb is covered by a round piece of glass...A UV shield, I suppose.

-Mac73

 

[bertoni]

http://www.hellolights.com/methalparref.html

Is there some component like that to reflect the light from the bulb into the tank, or just a flat sheet of metal with perhaps the ends folded in?

 

[Andrew]

[welcome]

 

[Mac73]

Betroni:

Yes, the reflector looks something like that....It is an Coralife Aqua light - Elite Serie...I think I am used to seeing the fluorescent that covered the whole tank (36"). The new MH light is only about 5" so the light pattern is different and I hope better.

-Mac73

 

[bertoni]

The Coralife lamps get good reviews, IIRC, so you're probably okay. The fluorescent look is different. I would just watch for signs of stress in the coral and see how the new light works.