Too much light?

[SeeDemTails]

I have a AGA 10 gal nano....Right now it has a 96 watt CF fixture on it....all my corals are doing well, but I have been thinking of upgrading to metal halide.

Finnex makes a 18" 150 watt fixture with two 18 watt CF actinics....it looks like a sweet little fixture!

This would give me like 15 watts per gal.....is this too intense?

 

[hc8719]

i think it depends on the coral you want to put in. have you considered/do you have a moonlight?

also certain fish may not like so much light, im still a saltie in training, i dunno if this is alot or little for a sw tank

 

[Hara]

I think that would be way too much light for the majority of corals.

 

[Devilishturtles]

I agree with Hara. Way too much light. I'd also be concerned with heat. 150 watt MH can get quite hot, and will cause the temperature to rise in a small tank.

I think your 96 watts are fine.

 

[MT79]

IMO/IME it can be done as a SPS, clam, and zoo tank. I have over 13 wpg on my tank. It's a 55 gallon w/ 2x250w MH and 2x110w VHO actinics. All my SPS are in the upper 1/2 to 1/3 of my tank and are doing great. They literally are growing out of the water-the tips break the surface. Light acclimation and the proper corals are the key. Softies and many LPS will not appreciate that amount of light. As mentioned heat will be an issue also w/ only 10 gallons of water.
FWIW I have a colt coral, which are known as "low light" corals, growing in the upper half of my tank right under a MH.

 

[SeeDemTails]

I have a 15mm fan blowing a wind storm through my canopy....my tank evaporates 1/2" everyday. I love it! Temperature would not be an issue.

I would go with a 70 watt, but I cannot find any fixtures, only retro kits and then I need uv glass, and what not.

Plus that would be a downgrade to 7 WPG.......would 7 WPG of MH be better than 9.6 WPG of CF?