Obvious question need obvious answer

[Kingpin616]

I just need people to tell me I need more light.....I have a 150 g tall 30"deep. With a coralife pro 150, which is two 150 HQI and two 96 watt pc. I grow monti cap coral like crazy, mushrooms everywhere, coraline algae grows to much, a plate coral doing fine on bottom with great color,ricordia with new mouths all the time and and a 8 year old sebae. Water parameters are normal.. PH 8.2, 0 PO4, <5 NO3, dKH 9-10. nitrate nitrite 0.. I am pretty good about doing water changes and dosing with B ionic. All of my fish are 5-10 years old as are inverts.
So the problem is I have a favia that is alive hasn't had a new mouth yet. Zoas don't spread but don't die, LPS frogspawn and trumpets that don't die but don't grow. I have damsels that eat xenia and Toadstool so I don't keep those. I also have what is supposed to be the easiest coral ever which hasn't had a new branch ever. SPS also good PE but no growth.
I feed cyclopeeze, rod's food, shrimp everything ever recomended on here. and high light corals are kept in top 15-20" of tank some even <10".
Is this a case of needing more light or just grown what does well in my tank. Sorry for being longwided but I know they were questions that would be asked.
Thanks Brian

 

[chefzif]

I would step up to 250 MH with t5's pretty deep tank to get proper light spectrum and thjis will help you promote groth. i have Maristar 250 great set of lights,

 

[adetamor]

You are not even getting 4 watts per gallon. I believe recommended lighting for lps and such is 4-6 watts/gallon and for SPS is 7-10 watts/gallon. On my 90 corner, I have a 400wHQI and 2 96w PCs. I would like to add a 175wHQI with it. I would recommend 2 400w halides(10k-14k, better growth with 10k) and supplement them with a actinic.

 

[DiscoReefRover]

I have a 150 tall yes the 31incher and I run two 400wse bulbs and 4 110w vhos I seem to have enough light but not to much have kicked the idea of going with 250w but would need a high par bulb fer sure!!

 

[lokikegs]

lighting

lighting

I have a 210 gallon tank, 25"'s deep, I am running the same light fixture, but the 6ft version, 3 150's 4 96 pc's. IMO Lighting is not your issue, I am pretty sure that the people who have seen my tank would vouch that I have enough light, I have issues of corals getting to big. What are you using for water movement, powerheads, tunze,vortechs, that could be your issue. I realize that your tank is 5" deeper, but sounds like your corals that are placed higher up are not growing also. sean

 

[Tswifty]

For LPS, light is not a big deal. I had a bad bulb once time, and they were basically growing in the dark. During that time period my SPS suffered, but my LPS actually looked better than it does now. With LPS, I've noticed spot feeding once or twice a week helps a lot. Also, with hammer, torch, trumpets, etc... permanently mounting them so they have a sturdy base and don't shift around in the current goes a long way.

Now as far as SPS goes... I agree, those 150w halides probably aren't giving you much penetration. On a tank that deep, if I was going only with SPS, I would bump to 400w. That being said, I think a good compromise would be something like Jeff (serpentman) runs on his tank. 250w halides, and 20k bulbs with the Lumenbright pendants. That will give you good penetration, but also some areas where your LPS can thrive.

Good luck.

 

[Kingpin616]

Thanks all for the advice!
I also learned a few tips (like mounting lps), mine are just wedged in. I have found the upgrading never ends. I recently added better skimmer, new sump with refuge and ato. Now I need to sneak a light past the wife (impossible) although she really wants a clam. I have wanted also to add something like a sea swirl becaue the way my rocks are set up. I have a few dead spots. I do have one of the larger tunze that helps alot I would like to get another and aim it at each other with the swirl....
When budget allows I'll most likely go with 250's and t 5's.

I'll have to get pics on here soon