Coral lighting question *title changed*

[quixand]

Hey guys quick question.

I have a 30 gallon tall tank with approx 40lbs of live rock.
A couple turbo snails, 2 percula clowns, 1 yellow fin damsel, and a blue linkia seastar. I want to get the clowns some soft corals, but I currently am only running one single 10k fluorescent bulb.

My buddy suggest at a minimum upgrading to compact fluorescent unit for the anemones.

I want to keep the heat output to a minimum, and want to DIY it to save cash. Thoughts and or solutions appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Hara]

You have no alternative but to upgrade your lighting if you want an anemone. You will need a minimum of about 120-150 watts to successfully keep anything that a clownfish would think about hosting. Understand too, that it is a crap shoot getting a clown and anemone to form a relationship. It doesnt always happen and it is not required for the fish's happiness.


T-5 lighting would be do able, as would a MH pendant, as well as the mentioned CF.

 

[quixand]

Any recommendations for a DIY'er for CF? I'm guessing that would be my cheapest solution?

 

[Hara]

http://www.hellolights.com/retligsys.html

I have had good luck with hellolights.com, the above is a link to their retrofit kits.

 

[StripesTheEel]

You dont need anemones, especially if you want corals later down the track.

I have a happy ocellaris gang that moves everywhere around the tank, compared to someone elses who stay in one spot (where the anemone is)

 

[melosu58]

As Lisa said you might do all that for your anenome and the clown might ignore him. It happened to me as my clowns ignored my BTA and hosted a bubble coral and pagoda Cop coral. There is no guarantee.

 

[quixand]

What kind of lighting would I need to keep corals?

 

[Hara]

approximately 4 wpg is the general rule to cover most corals.

 

[quixand]

CF, VHO?

So that puts me needing roughly 120 watts on a 30 gallon tanks?

Ouch.

 

[quixand]

Would I be better served doing AH Supply's 2x 96w CF DIY kit?

http://www.ahsupply.com/96watt.htm

It would give me moderate to high light output for corals, my only fear is weather or not I could rig it into a 24" hood.

I would probably go with one 12000k and one actinic if it all worked.

Sound good?

 

[melosu58]

If you can get it in the hood then that will be plenty light.

 

[quixand]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Jebo-Odyssea-24...ryZ46314QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

Thoughts?

130W on a 30 gallon. Will that enable me to run with a large variety of coral and inverts?

That puts me at alittle over 4 wpg.

 

[Guest]

I have 192 watts PC over my 30 gal. and I get incredible coral growth and tons of coraline. PC does not have the same power to reach deeper water like MH. For that reason, I would go with 192 watts. IMO