10 gal lighting for live rock

[Reefaddict]

I have a 10 gal that is cycling right now. It has LS and LR. Some of the LR is really gorgous with green, purple, and even some bright orange spots!??
I am wondering what kind of light should I use to grow some of those hitchhikers and mostly grow some nice coralline algae. Im obviously not going to buy any stony corals or even soft for that matter with this 10 gal. It is just for fun while I wait for my 55gal setup to be completed, but I don't want some of this beautiful life and color on my new LR to go away. The LR is fully cured.
I have a small 20" strip light(18") flourescent with a 19w max. Could I just get an 18" 15w actinic bulb for that or maybe two strip lights! Would that be enough. I have also heard about going to a hardware store and getting a shop light and buying a MH for that. Would that work? Do you have to buy special MH bulbs for aquariums or just any random at the hardware store?
Thanks for any suggestions!!

The two strip lights on the 10 gal should be just fine for the coralline. Other than the light you will also need to maintain properly balanced alk/Ca levels.

The standard MH lights you will find at the hardware store would not do well on a reef tank set up. The kelvin ratings are quite low in most cases and will only produce unwanted algaes. Although more exspensive, specially designed aquarium bulbs are 6700k and higher giving you much better results.

Cheers
Steve

[Reefaddict]

Thanks Steve!!
So would I need both strip lights and a MH or would just the MH be enough.
Also could I get one of those pendant hang above fixtures for the MH or would I need ballasts and a retrofit kit for it?
I am just going for the cheapest options here, as this is only a test tank for fun!!
Thanks again!!

[Reefaddict]

OK I just did a little research about the MH pendant fixture. It comes with 175w ballast and no bulb for over 210$ which is way more than I want to spend for lighting on this tank.

Steve said that the two strip lights are just fine for the coralline, except for the light I will also need to maintain properly balanced alk/Ca levels.

So exactly what should I get for lighting? Could I just add supplements for the alk/CA?

Thanks for all your help fellas!!

[reefrunner69]

I think if you were to use a MH fixture on this tank, you would end up with serious heat issues as well as pest algae problems.

I agree with two striplight for the 10g, I would go with one actinic and one 50/50.

For CA and ALK, if you do not have any stony corals, you should easily be able to maintain CA and ALK levels with regular weekly waterchanges of about 10%. If you feel the need to supplament, I would recommend the two part balanced solutions like B-ionic, however, you should not add anything (supplamental) to your tank you do not test for. So if your gonna supplament, you need a CA and ALK test kit, I recommend the Salifert brand

[Reefaddict]

Thanks again!