Is this enough light?

[SLove1104]

I've had a tank up for about a month and have been having problems... I won't get into that as it's in another thread already...But it's a 10g nano with a few corals and the corals don't seem to be doing so well.

I have two zoa colonies, one won't open and the other, I've had up to 90% of it open but since a recent bloom of algae, most won't open now. I have a small frag of GSPs that won't open as well... And a couple shrooms that are shrivelled too... I'd suspected it was a nitrate/phosphate problem so I'm in the process of fixing that (was using dechlored tap but switching to RO... bought a few gals yesterday and brewing water now to do PWC tonight, cutting down light time, and added chaeto last night) at the moment but was wondering if it may also be the light?

At the moment I have a 15 watt Coralife 50/50 and a 15 watt Fish 101 actinic bulb. Am I overdoing it in the actinic range? I have a 10k daylight bulb lying around, should I switch the 50/50 with that?

I know I'm already on the low range for lighting at 3GPH but I'm in the process of deciding what fixture to buy and am using these for the time being... Was thinking of replacing with the smaller Nova... Oh, and is this too much light for a 10g?

 

[Lance M.]

With the fixture you are thinking about getting, you would be able to easily keep most types of coral in your tank.

It isn't too much light, you may need to watch the water temperature a little bit but it should be great.

I've seen someone use a 250 watt MH retro over a 3 gallon pico reef. It's all about patience and photoacclimation. (and in hat case, lots of top off RO)

 

[SLove1104]

Thanks... as for what I have now though, should I keep the 50/50 or put the 10k daylight in instead? I feel I have too much actinic, which I hear isn't as much par as other lights... I'm just a little worried about the corals now. I'm not sure I'll be able to get the other light that soon... might be a month or so...

 

[SLove1104]

Another question... how about the Current USA 2x40...? (here) I'd figure it's only half the price, but that PC should do as well or close to as well as the t5ho Nova right...?

 

[Lance M.]

True actinic (blue) bulbs dont really contribute to PAR, it just makes your corals fluoresce (if they have the ability to).

The link doesnt work but i know the current fixture. It would basically be the same thing as the T5 nova since the nova comes with one relfector for all of the bulbs, except the compact flourescent fixture would have two cords so you can do dawn/dusk simulation with timers (the actinic coming on first and then the 10,000K bulb about 30 minutes later, etc.).

With those fixtures ^ you would easily be able to keep softies (leathers, mushrooms, zoas, etc.) but I would just get the clamp on MH or a MH retro now instead of spending the money on one of those fixtures THEN upgrading to the MH when you decide you want to keep some sps or a clam. That's my opinion.