lighting question

[egon]

i have a 90 gallon tank with 180lbs of live rock in it. i am not planning on raising any corals, at least not at this time. i am running the csl powercompacts with moonlights for a total output of 260w of light. i run the actinic 14 hours per day and the full spectrum 12 hours a day. is this enough light to sustain and possibly increase coraline growth on the rock?

 

[reefrunner69]

I think it will sustain the algae in the top 2/3 of the tank, and may even grow some, but the lower depths will probably start to fade. You'd be better of with another 200W of PC light.

 

[loganj]

IMO, that should be plenty of light for the LR. I maintain a customers 75g tank with 80 watts of NO lighting and the coraline growth is pretty good in that tank. You'll want to make sure your cal and alk levels are kept where they should be.

 

[fishman]

LIGHTING

I WAS INQUIABOUT THE SAME THING WITH REGARDS TO LIGHTING. I HAVE A 125 TANK AND HAVE 2 (40W) BULBS - 1 IS ATINIC AND THE OTHER IS A 10K CORALINE. I WAS TOLD I NEED AT LEAST 5 WATTS PER GALLON. THATS A LOT!! I HAVE 30 LBS OF LR AND WANT MORE BUT NOT FOR REEF PER SAY. DO YOU THINK I COULD GET A RETROFIT KIT AND ADD ANOTHER 65 WATTS....DO YOU THINK THIS IS ENOUGH??
(ALSO IM NOT YELLING...JUST FORGOT I HAD THE CAPS ON)
THANKS

 

[loganj]

On a 125, since it's a 6' tank, I would go with at least a pair of 96w PC's. You could DIY that yourself for not a lot of $$. You can run them with a Fulham Workhorse 7 ballast...should cost you about $40 for the ballast. The 96w PC's are about 34" long and will give you good coverage on your tank. Later, you could put in a MH system and use the PC's for actinic if you wanted to do a reef. Or, you could add 2 more 96w PC's and have enough light for mushrooms, some soft corals, or just a well lit FOWLR tank. I'd get the first PC's in 10k and use the NO fixtures you have now with actinics for starters. JMHO.

 

[fishman]

Logan
Where would I get the ballast?? Like Hoe Depot or out of a fish aquarists magazine?? Also where do I get the bulbs? I want to leave the 2 I have in there now so Do I really need the 96x2 PLUS the 80Watts already in there?? I dont want the algea to go nuts as well!!
I really think for now I might do as you suggest and do the 96x2 plus the 80 already. This should be enough for soft corals but definatley dont want to do the MH....Those dudes are expensive!!
Thanks for the info as this is nost helpful. Just let me know where to get everything.
Thanks!!