Lighting for a 30g

[Gza166]

Need a recommendation for a 30g tank 18" deep. Want to be able to grow some soft coral etc. right now I only have a two t5 one 10k and a blue actinic bulb. So anybody have a model or brand somewhat cheap nothing to pricey. Thank you

 

[54seaweed]

soft corals will grow with T-5s
just replace bulbs with new ones

 

[Gza166]

How many bulbs is sufficient

 

[54seaweed]

I was using 2 for the longest time with no issues
but I'm doing all softies

than I broke down and bought another fixture now I run 4
on my 37 gal

 

[Gza166]

If you don't mind me asking when you had two what kind of bulbs did you have and what types of softies did you have

 

[54seaweed]

zoa's and shrooms and leathers mostly

1 white 10k and 1 420/460 blue actnic

this is before I added my second fixture

 

[Gza166]

That looks awesome! And that was with one 10k and an actinic? I have a polyp frag but it's not spreading I guess ill need a second fixture

 

[54seaweed]

my gobb stoppers grow slow 1 polyp in 6 months
strawberry creams grew 10x in 6 months
my palys grow 6x every month
star polyps and shrooms grow like weeds along with the Xenia
so it really depends on what type coral it is and placement

 

[Gza166]

On your polyps where did you have them placed?

 

[54seaweed]

most polyps are in the middle of the tank and lower towards bottom
palys are up near top to middle
shrooms are every where even in dark caves high low where ever they decide to go pretty much

 

[54seaweed]

and if you notice my power heads there pointed in just about every direction lots of flow no dead spots
theres also one on the bottom behind the rocks about 6 inches off sand bed

 

[Gza166]

Ok ya I only have two powerheads one on top facing towards the front far corner and one on top at the back facing the other side. I have my polyp frag on the very top, it's doing fine but I want it to spread

 

[54seaweed]

what type polyp frag is it

it may be one of the slow growers like I mentioned

 

[Gza166]

It's a small button polyp frag