Coralife 50/50 bulbs and Live Rock

[Nobody1973]

First off I just wanted to say I'm new here and to the whole saltwater thing. But I will say this is the best message board I have been too regarding saltwater fish!! I have already learned a great deal from here. So now I'm hopping you all can help me out with this. I Just recently purchased a 125 gallon tank combo (tank, top light and stand) at my local fish store. I also purchased some florida live rock and some fuji live rock for my tank. My question is: the lights. I replaced the 2 ordinary fluorescent bulbs with Coralife 50/50 bulbs. They are 30 watts 50% natural daylight 6000K and 50% actinic 03 blue. Are these good enough for my live rock?

[reefrunner69]

They are 30 watts 50% natural daylight 6000K and 50% actinic 03 blue. Are these good enough for my live rock?

Doubtful, to make the LR continue to grow you will need about 3-4 wpg.

[WJH1748]

I'm to a newbie.. for comparison, I have the only one Coralife 50/50 6000k/03 blue, the other fluoresent. 40 watts. This is on a 72 gal bow tank. My live rock is coming along ok, but slow. I'm not at 3-4 wpg. You have a much larger tank. Maybe I should go to dual 50/50... WJH

[TriggerHappy]

I just switched to using a 50/50 actinic from a regular flourecent bulb, both 30W. I also added a CSL Moonlight. But getting it to 3-4 wpg seems like a major change, I don't even think I have room for that in my canopy, but I'd love to have it! btw the moonlight is a pretty cool addition--

[gooyferret]

A "grow" light will support the LR it just wont grow coraline algae and other beneficial growth. Granted the LR wont be at its full potential but it will benefit in biological filtration and will slowly have growths on it. Moonlights are really cool looking looking for sure!

[Nobody1973]

Originally Posted by reefrunner69

Doubtful, to make the LR continue to grow you will need about 3-4 wpg.

Originally Posted by gooyferret

A "grow" light will support the LR it just wont grow coraline algae and other beneficial growth.

So are you saying that them 50/50 bulbs are not going to cut it at all? That really stinks. My LFS had me so sold on them bulbs, telling me since It was going to be fish and live rock only that these bulbs would be all I would need. I was really looking forward to all the coraline algae and growth. So should I take out all the live rock before it starts to die off? I don't want my tank getting all cloudy and start to stink like I have heard other people talk about.

[reefrunner69]

So are you saying that them 50/50 bulbs are not going to cut it at all?

No, I'm saying that there isn't enough of them. The spectrum is fine, you just need more light. When I typed 3-4, I meant 2-3 to keep the LR happy.

[wseaton]

The biggest problem with the standard 125 is it's a long tank to illuminate. If you prefer to concentrate your lighting in the center of the tank the WPG spec drops dramatically, if not in half, but that's your choice. 2x96watt power compacts will grow coralline in this tank if the lights were concentrated in the center. Otherwise you'll need at least 4x96 power compacts to light this tank sufficiently.

I have no idea how you're lighting a 125gal tank with a 30watt PC unless you just have a small area of illumination. In this case the 50/50 won't do it. I also recommend a 60/30 or 75/25 mix of actinic to white light when using power compacts for optimum coralline growth. Using entirely 50/50's won't encourage a lot of coralline growth.

[reefrunner69]

Using entirely 50/50's won't encourage a lot of coralline growth.

Really?? I have much more 10K light than actinic over my tank and I have to scrape coraline off the front glass every couple of days. If the tank conditions are right...coraline will grow, regardless of the spectrum.

[Nobody1973]

Originally Posted by wseaton

I have no idea how you're lighting a 125gal tank with a 30watt PC unless you just have a small area of illumination. In this case the 50/50 won't do it.

I don't just have one 30 watt bulb on the whole tank. The tank came with two 36 inch lights on it (tank is 6 foot long). So I have one 50/50 30watt bulb on the left side and a 50/50 30 watt bulb on the right. So a total of 60 watts on the whole tank. The tank is really light and looks good. Well I guess i'll have to look into the 4x96 power compacts with a 75/25 mix of actinic to white light then. I hope they make them with the same wood color of my tank and stand. I want to keep everything matching. This is really starting to rack up the $ now. My wife is going to kill me when I tell here this.. LOL Thanks!!

[Nobody1973]

Originally Posted by reefrunner69

Really?? I have much more 10K light than actinic over my tank and I have to scrape coraline off the front glass every couple of days. If the tank conditions are right...coraline will grow, regardless of the spectrum.

Like I said, I'm new to this whole saltwater thing so please don't get mad If these questions are stupid.
So the coraline will still grow with the lighting I have now but the plant like stuff growing on the rocks will die. Is that what your saying? Also, coraline Is the purple stuff on the live rocks right?

[reefrunner69]

So the coraline will still grow with the lighting I have now but the plant like stuff growing on the rocks will die. Is that what your saying?

No, you do not have enough light to support coraline in that size tank. My reference was to spectrum only. Spectrum = the color of the light, you need more intensity. Intensity = brightness.

Also, coraline Is the purple stuff on the live rocks right?

Yes coraline is a calcerous algae found in many colors, but the purple is very common in rock from the south pacific.

Like I said, I'm new to this whole saltwater thing so please don't get mad If these questions are stupid.

There is no such thing as a stupid question, my comment was not directed to you, but nevertheless, I should apologize to you and wseaton, it does come across as a snotty attitude, that was not my intention and I apologize.