Starting 55 Cube Preditor. Lighting?

[tkeracer619]

The tank is 32x32x32.5H.

I want to put a lion and a snowflake in it as its main residents. Do these fish like dim lighting... say on the actinic side.

I would think they are lower light species.

My plan is to use 2 actinic and 2 actinic/white bulbs. Like URI VHO's. Or should I give them more natural light with 2Actinics and 2 whites?

 

[Patchy]

if thats 32 inches the tank holds 144g. lions can tolerate high lighting but i think they are happier under lower lighting. my lions colours were always better when MH went off

 

[Monkeyfish]

Is the tank volume 55g US? IF so IMO that tank is really too small for any lion except for the dwarf species. I don't think an eel would be happy there in the long run either.

As for the lighting - either of you choices should be fine, but I'd use regular fluorescent instead of VHO - cheaper and less algae.

 

[stykthyn]

go for regular flourescent lighting. I always thought predator tanks looked better when dimly lit and ranging into the actinic spectrum.

 

[Patchy]

<----- really confused on the tank size....

 

[tkeracer619]

The tank is 23" by 23" by 23.5" High. Whoops.... LOL i put 32x32x32.5. Its a cube that sits in the corner.

Do you really not think its big enough. With only the lion and eel. With it being deep and tall it gives more swimming room compared to the standard 55 tank.

I don't plan on going crazy with rock in the middle of the tank so the lion has plenty of swimming space. What I was looking at was turning the back half into an eel house and using egg crate to support zip tied rocks to the back walls of the tank.

Also It has a 35gallon sump and fuge.

I will use the NO lights. Thanks.

 

[tkeracer619]

Patchy Im guessing its about the same size as your tank. How does your lion like it?

 

[stykthyn]

sounds small for a lion, perhaps a fu manchu or a fuzzy dwarf would be a better choice

 

[tkeracer619]

I will definitly look at the other lion types. If it sounds to small it probably is. Since I biuld fish tanks it could be an excuse down the road to make a large one for the preditors. I dont know if i can get away with it now

 

[Patchy]

My lion is gone to my dads 240g, fuzzy's and fu manchus would be cool. i had no intention of keeping him long term just putting some size on him and training him so he could compete with the 2 other lions his now housed with.

NO lighting is a good idea, i dont think they are ever comfortable with high lighting

 

[XtrmCHoPZ]

I also agree and think that a 55g cube is too small for most lions, it would actually be better if it was a 55g long, then there would be more swimming room back and forth. I think you could put the eel in there though. IN my experiences with SF eels they tend to grow kinda slow and I thinnk hed be ok in there for quite a while. If you absolutely have to have a lion go with a smaller dwarf species.....but Ive even seen those get killed by hungry eels. They eat they stomach and leave the rest of the poor lion to die.