Please help me with lighting!

[tloktb26]

Hi. I have a 40 gallon FOWL. The inhabitants in my tank are: 1 maroon clown, 1 purple pseudochromis, 1 purple firefish, 1 yellow-tail damsel and 1 green brittle starfish. The tank is cycled and is about 3-4 months old. The lighting that I have is what came on the tank hood, just one fluorescent bulb. I want to upgrade my lighting but have no idea how to do so, I know nothing about lights! Eventually, in a year or so, I would like to keep an anemone or two, but for now, I just need a better lighting system that won't cost me a fortune. TIA

 

[loganj]

Do you intend to make this tank into a reef? Anemones typically require lots of light. Do you have a canopy over the tank? Do you want to DIY the lights or buy a prefab hood with everything ready to plug in? Is your 40 a 36" or 48" tank...I've seen them both ways.

 

[tloktb26]

It's a 36" tank. I don't plan on having a reef right now, but I am definitely considering it in the future when I can afford to buy a bigger tank. It doesn't matter to me if it is a DIY setup or a hood setup, whichever one would save me the most money but still be effective enough for an anemone when I decide to get one.

 

[loganj]

I would say the minimum would be a pair of 96w PC's...three would be better. A 250w MH would do a good job as well...that might be the best way to go. If you went with that, you could add a PC or VHO actinic later. If you go with the MH, it needs to be centered over the tank and it'll be a little dimmer on the edges of the tank since a MH only gives good coverage for about 24". JMHO.