Rock or coral

[POLARBEAR0871]

Sweet thanks guys Hey can you guys check out my other thread on what I think is a sponge growing there's pictures of it in the thread thanks

 

[jeh1487]

can he/she still use it for BB i was thinking about adding some dead coral .

 

[bribo12]

can he/she still use it for BB i was thinking about adding some dead coral .

Yeah you can definitely still use it for bb.

 

[jeh1487]

sweet

i was going to cruch it up and put it into my sump i got about 200 pounds of LR and sand in my 90 gal tank with a lifereef skimmer rated for 300 gal tank the water is glass clear lol

 

[Tmar]

That light I'm assuming is a t8 bulb and will not even grow the lowest light corals. You need much better lighting for corals.

I disagree with this blanket statement even tho I am quite new at the whole saltwater scene and just have a very new 10 gallon setup. I fully believe that T8 lights WILL grow SOME type of corals in smaller tanks.

The author wrote that he has 24" aqueon 17w lighting (tells me his tank is smaller). Now if it is a 10 or 20 gallon tank that is less than say 16 inches deep. I believe (and could be wrong) that he could get higher lumen, CRI and kelvin bulbs for that fixture that will grow say SOME zoas, mushrooms, palys and some leather soft coral....
It wasn't long ago that saltwater hobbyists were using T12 and T8 lighting exclusively for just that ... I'm just saying, some folks can't afford the uber popular and therefore expensive lighting systems! Doesn't mean that they can't have a beautiful tank ... they are just more limited in what they can put in it
Just my 2 cents...

 

[bribo12]

I disagree with this blanket statement even tho I am quite new at the whole saltwater scene and just have a very new 10 gallon setup. I fully believe that T8 lights WILL grow SOME type of corals in smaller tanks.

The author wrote that he has 24" aqueon 17w lighting (tells me his tank is smaller). Now if it is a 10 or 20 gallon tank that is less than say 16 inches deep. I believe (and could be wrong) that he could get higher lumen, CRI and kelvin bulbs for that fixture that will grow say SOME zoas, mushrooms, palys and some leather soft coral....
It wasn't long ago that saltwater hobbyists were using T12 and T8 lighting exclusively for just that ... I'm just saying, some folks can't afford the uber popular and therefore expensive lighting systems! Doesn't mean that they can't have a beautiful tank ... they are just more limited in what they can put in it
Just my 2 cents...

Corals surviving and growing are two separate things. I have seen all those corals you listed survive under t8 bulbs but I have barely seen them grow. It is extremely slow if at all. Their colors would most likely brown out as well due to low par from the t8 bulbs. The op could go out and get a cheap power compact, compact fluorescent or even cheap t5 ho 4 bulb fixture and grow corals rather than just have them survive. Lighting doesn't have to be crazy for corals. I had a $45 led odyssea fixture on my ten gallon and grew lps as well as birdsnest.

 

[Tmar]

Ok, I stand corrected! In my own defense however, I live in Canada. NO "upper end" aquarium lighting here is less than $150 bucks + tax. No cheapy $45 deals for us. I have also been searching craigslist in my area too, but most those people charge new prices for the used stuff as well......
None of our mainstream pet stores have any type of "buck a gallon" sale on tanks, or even once or twice a year GREAT specials. Shipping of tanks, dry goods, food, rock etc is exorbitant and then duty at the border adds insult to injury. Corals, livestock, live rock and living entities are not even allowed to cross our borders... I sooooo want to move to the US right now!!!

 

[bribo12]

Ok, I stand corrected! In my own defense however, I live in Canada. NO "upper end" aquarium lighting here is less than $150 bucks + tax. No cheapy $45 deals for us. I have also been searching craigslist in my area too, but most those people charge new prices for the used stuff as well......
None of our mainstream pet stores have any type of "buck a gallon" sale on tanks, or even once or twice a year GREAT specials. Shipping of tanks, dry goods, food, rock etc is exorbitant and then duty at the border adds insult to injury. Corals, livestock, live rock and living entities are not even allowed to cross our borders... I sooooo want to move to the US right now!!!

Haha that stinks! I do agree that people used to keep corals under t8 lights before and probably had some success with enough bulbs. I was just saying one 17w t8 over a tank is not very much light. I haven't been on your 10 gallon thread in a while, ill head back over there to check out how you're doing.

 

[POLARBEAR0871]

It's a 24"light on a 40gallon tank it's a foot or a ill more deep and about a foot wide ill have to measurements again but I do have a type of coral growing on my rock but its a common type of coral that pretty much everyone can get just by buying the right piece of rock

 

[mr_X]

T12 lighting is pretty powerful lighting. They make VHO T12 lamps that are extremely powerful. Those fresh water, standard, aesthetic, strip lights are weak and while I see them over coral tanks at some stores, they are just for display. Any coral that doesn't get sold pretty quickly usually browns out and/or dies off.
Where are you located PolarBear? I may have some light around here I'm about to throw away that I might be able to send you. Shipping will be your responsibility though.

 

[POLARBEAR0871]

Ok the measurements of the tank are:
Length: 30in
Height: 29 1/4in
Width: 12in

 

[bribo12]

Yeah no way one t8 bulb is going to grow coral in a 30 inch deep tank. The taotronics are your best bet for affordable lights and you'd only need one.

 

[POLARBEAR0871]

I want to get a four bulb set for like 50-60$ it's pretty cheap I found it on the website someone provided on the first page of the thread I do have a type of coral though its polyps I think I can't remember but they're like a burnt orange color and they're really pretty but like I said earlier anyone can grow these if you have the right rock