New PC lights for my 210? Enough?

[SkinnyPete]

I got a used Current 72" Orbit Fixture 4x96w PC bulbs for a 210g tank that I just bought. I don't plan on keeping many corals, mainly fish only but I do have some softies that I may move over there. I got a good deal on this light so I jumped at it, but now that I'm thinking about it - the 210g is 29" tall. Would this be enough light for maybe mushrooms near the bottom of the tank? Should have at least 3" of sand which would put them about 26" under water.

Maybe I should have gone MH? Just seems like a waste for mostly fish only.

 

[Salttanker]

That sounds like a good setup, and a price too good to pass up. A FOWLR with mushrooms should be fine under that light. In fact, in my experience, mushrooms don't need much light for growth and my pc lights worked fine. When my MH lights were over the mushrooms, they had a tendency to bleach them as the light was too intense.

Others' may chime in with a different experience, but I think you will be fine with the lights you have.

Regards,

Mike

 

[Frogspawn]

i have a 125watt HQI sunpac lighting system over a 30gallon. i started with 5 different types of shrooms and polyps and now my whole tank is filled with them little buggers! i didnt see any bleaching, but again my LR dont go clean to the top either so i would think you would be ok with that! i use to have the same lighting system on my 55g infact its still in my shed now. i loved that light! only down fall was the moonlights didnt last long. i say go for it if ya looking to buy shrooms or polyps. dont know if i would go any farther then that though.
Good luck

 

[melosu58]

It might be OK for the mushrooms but just barely. They definitely wont be enough for anything else. The PC`s wont penetrate that far. They really on that size tank are for a FOWLR or a fish only tank.

 

[Ziggy953]

I agree with Mike on this one! Be ready to change out those bulbs every 6 months without fail, or you will be growing algae like mad! You may be ok with the shrooms but I wouldn't put anything else in the tank, other then fish of course. That is a lot of depth and PC lights just don't get light down that deep.

 

[SkinnyPete]

Should I have gone VHO? I really don't want to pay to run MH when it's probably unnecessary, but I am worried about algae growth.

 

[melosu58]

IMO VHO`s would be better but I`m thinking that at that depth that T5`s or MH`s will be your best option. They have more intensity and can penetrate that depth. I know you dont want to have the added cost of price and cost of running hallides but you do have a special tank there that will have special needs and lighting is one of them. And I say this if you are planning to have corals. If you are fish only then the VHO`s will be OK for sure.

 

[SkinnyPete]

Well, the tank is 29" deep BUT I was considering a DSB which might help my lighting issue, actually. If I go 6" deep, I only have about 22" of water depth. I smell loophole!

 

[lando]

Hey Skins...I agree that more lighting will be needed to maintain most species of corals. You may be able to keep some softies and even LPS corals depending on placement, though it is not ideal. In a tank of this size, I understand your wanting to stick mainly with fish. You have of great options for fish that are not reef-safe, so unless you were heck-bent on having a full-blown reef I think you made the right decission. Just know it is not idea for corals.

 

[SkinnyPete]

Lando, thanks. Yeah, I've been doing the community tank thing with some softies for a while now in a 110g, recently changed it into a seahorse tank and then just decided I needed some big bad FISH instead of pretty delicate corals and inverts. It was just time.

So, I think I'll be okay. But, I'm sure in 2 months I'll wish I had MH

Thanks again, all. I'm sure I'll be posting more than usual as I try and set this 210g up and get it running.

 

[melosu58]

Good luck on the et up.