Lights and Algae

[Cox82]

Hi guys,

I'm cycled (fishless) and am adding my lights. I have a 36" (L) x 12" (W) x 18" (H) tank (35 gallons). I just bought a coraline aqualight Dlx - 30" fixture ( Coralife Aqualight Dlx- 30" - 2 x 65 Watt Power Compact )

My question is: I'm buying new light bulbs for it tonight. What ones should I buy? I want a reef tank within the next 6 months, so something that is strong enough for that.

Also, once adding the lights and leaving them on 6-8 hours per day, how many days/weeks will it take for algae to build up? I do have some on the live rock that was purchased from the LFS.

 

[Tomchong22]

Sorry to say but that light will only keep low low light corals, green star polyps mushrooms etc. What you really want is a 4 bulb t5 Ho fixture.

 

[Jason M]

I just got a coralife hqi pro the other day. If u want a best light get that. Bit expensive though. Got it LN Craigslist bran new in the box for only 200 bucks. Unbelieveable

 

[Cox82]

I take back the questions. I went and got the coralife 30" as I said. I have 2 50/50s in it and the big als dude said its more than enough and that I may have to raise the light for some corals. So we bring it home and hubby sets it up (so excited that he's excited now) and I couldn't beieve what we found in there! The difference between the daylight, lamp light and even flash light compared to those puppies is amazing! I already have a lot of algae growth. I started with all lr so its helped. I have hair algae, coraline, sponges, the four scarlet hermits we put in there are just shoving it in their little mouths as fast as the can. I'm uber excited to get the rest of the cuc in there! We sat in front of the tank and watched everything for over an hour.

 

[Tomchong22]

The light is enough for low light corals like mushrooms and green star polyps, but for lps,sps, anemones it is no where near enough. you can double check this with using a PAR meter. power compacts just don't put out enough light like a T5 would. But if you like the fixture then i congratulate you on a good find. Lets see some pictures!

 

[Cox82]

That's ok, that's what I'll be starting out with anyways, just a little tester reef before going big. I promise to add pics next week. I'm going to rearrange my rock this weekend and I'm adding 1/2 my livestock on the 26th.

 

[Gti_Leo]

The light is enough for low light corals like mushrooms and green star polyps, but for lps,sps, anemones it is no where near enough. you can double check this with using a PAR meter. power compacts just don't put out enough light like a T5 would. But if you like the fixture then i congratulate you on a good find. Lets see some pictures!

think again sir, LPS are pretty low light if you think about it and most people that get into the hobby get into reefing more because of LPS.
LPS are mid light and that fixture is more then enough light for LPS.

she could even try keeping some low light montis closer to the top of her tank

 

[Cox82]

think again sir, LPS are pretty low light if you think about it and most people that get into the hobby get into reefing more because of LPS.
LPS are mid light and that fixture is more then enough light for LPS.

she could even try keeping some low light montis closer to the top of her tank

This is what the Big Al's employee said. They are VERY well trained, most are aquarist

 

[Gti_Leo]

yeah but remember some can be from the freshwater side of things.

there is a place in markham called sea u marine, theres were i like to go. i'll sometimes stop by big al's for dry goods but there fish and corals are over priced

 

[Cox82]

I didn't realise that. Maybe we'll check out the one that you are talking about. Where exactly is it?

I just called Spadina Aquarium (close to where I work) and asked for their LR prices and they said $19.99/lb lmaoooooo I almost chocked on my coffee that I was drinking at the time.

 

[Sniperhank]

I'll be honest, that price doesn't suprise me. I look at it as acceptable only if you really like a singular piece of rock. I've paid that for a great piece of fiji to add to my setup.

 

[Cox82]

I'll be honest, that price doesn't suprise me. I look at it as acceptable only if you really like a singular piece of rock. I've paid that for a great piece of fiji to add to my setup.

Fiji around here is generally 7-10/lb and its good looking rock! I would pay it if there was a certain large peice that I loved, but just for regular LR...no sir-eee

 

[Jason M]

Of u buy 20 lbs or more in Pittsburgh its 5 dollars a pound

 

[Jason M]

I went to petco 1 day they had some lr there. only thing was they wanted 27.99 for what they called a large piece of rock they do not go by weight. I had them weigh it anyway just to see how much of a rip off it was and it weighed 1.873 pounds. Unbelievable.

 

[mr_X]

that fixture will be fine for lps. it's just not as efficient as others. you can do the same job with less wattage is all.
now you have to get a good camera and post some pics!

BTW, algae is a nutrient issue. I would be doing water changes with good source water (R.O.D.I.) to combat it, not adding more eating, pooping, critters.

 

[Jason M]

Petco has good prices on sw fish except for most of them have visual white spots all over their stomacjs.. to bad

 

[Jason M]

Mr x should I keep my actinic lights on all day with my metal halides it just at dawn and dusk?

 

[Gti_Leo]

sea u marine is on woodbine i believe is two lights north of hwy 7 on the right hand side

i believe they charge 6.40 a pound for live fiji rock but they also sell dry rock for 3.49 a pound

 

[Sniperhank]

lol, a guy in toronto giving a pittsburgh guy directions in pittsburgh...just sounds odd to me.

Jason, hit up the regional forums. There is a threat about fish stores in PA. We were just talking about the ones around Pittsburgh.

 

[Gti_Leo]

cox is from toronto