Reef Lighting Question

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

limemittens

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Dec 3, 2004
Messages
37
Location
Medina, Ohio
We just recently started adding LPS corals to our 90 gallon tank a few months ago. We have had some various varieties of mushrooms and some star polyps for awhile, but finally decieded to take the plunge in getting some big stuff after our success with the soft stuff.

Recently, purchased an IceCap 660 ballast with 4-110 Watt VHOs to mount in our hood to upgrade from the 4 x 65 watt unit we currently have. Haven't gotten them installed yet, but just wanted to make sure that this would be enough lighting for some the recent additions and others we are planning to purchase below. Also, would this be enough lighting for clams, or would MH be better for them?

Recently added: (last week)
Yellow Fiji Leather
Blastomussa Wellsi (small colony)
Bubble Coral
Green and Orange Zoas
Sun Coral (I know these guys are low light, so they are in a cave.)
Red Lobo Brain

Possibly interested some of the following:
Chili Corals
Clam
Frogspawn or Torch Coral
Fox Coral

Thanks
 
I think that the VHOs will give you the amount of light to handle most of the things you want to add. I'm not sure about the Blasto, I'm not really familiar with them. VHOs do generate heat so a fan in your canopy would be a good idea. If you can fit 2 in it that would be even better. One pulling air into the canopy and the other blowing air out.

I hope that helps you!
 
I have the 4 VHO bulbs for a 6 ft tank and I have alot of those. On the clams I`m not sure of all types. I have a squamosa clam that`s doing OK. Not sure of the crocea or derrsa.
 
I would definately skip the clam with your current lighting. You probably want at a minimum 2x175 mh but the 2 X 250's are a better choice. You can probably pick up a nice used hood pretty reasonable
 
you could place the clam halfway up the rockwork and it will be fine. all of the rest of those corals will also thrive under your vho's.
btw- the sun coral is not low light, it's no light. they are non-photosynthetic and require regular feedings with meaty foods.
 
I think the clam would be the only real issue as well. A 90 gal is a bit taller than a 75 gal and I ran a 2x250 MH setup on my 75 when I had it. I do believe the derasa is a lower light demanding clam as well. Definitely stay away from the crocea and maximas.
 
Back
Top Bottom