lighting problems for a reef

[will8]

hi there, in the near future i would like to turn my fish tank in a reef tank when i sort other problems out. but my question is i have only got 4 T8 bulbs, 1 blue and 3 white 10000k, and i have a TMC aqualight 500. Will these lights limit me to what i can keep. Did buy a aquaone MH light unit be had to send it back, it wouldnt fit on my Rena tank with the supports, and couldnt hang it from the ceiling. thanks

[fijiwigi]

what size is the tank and how much power are the light fixtures

[will8]

sorry i forgot about that. tank size 100g. lights are 30w, and 36 inches long, lights are 2' above the sand. not much i think but i got told that the TMC aqaulight 500 would up the lights.

[fijiwigi]

if you are wanting to go reef your probably looking at about $800-$1000 dollars for a light fixture. There may be a way to DIY but someone with that large of a tank will have to chime in on that. You will need at least T5 or metal halide. Also I dont know of any 100g tanks that are 36" are you sure that is correct.

I have never heard of a TMC aqualight 500 what kind of lighting is it PowerCompact? could you possibly link to it? I couldn't find it

if your 100g tank is 48" this would do the trick https://www82.safesecureweb.com/weba...ry_Code=CAP2HL

This one is a bit cheaper and could possibly work https://www82.safesecureweb.com/weba...gory_Code=COOT

[will8]

i should say i am in the uk so the TMC might be a british make.it says it is solid state lighting using the latest and brightest generation of power LEDs. By The Tropical Marine Centre. My tank is 4' long but the T8s i have are 36inches by arcadia. Not very good with computers so cant link to it sorry.

[cmor1701d]

You really should get lights that match the length of the tank.
Do you have the TMC 500 single or double? Based on their site I think you need two doubles and single for a total of 60 watts of LED light. I'm not sure how much light that really translates to as LED lighting for aqaria is rather new.

I'll see if I can dig up more information. In the meantime, what type of corals are you thinking of?

What is your filtration system composed of?
What problems are you currently facing?
What livestock do you have in the tank?
What are you water parameters (please post actual numbers for temp, pH, Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, calcium, alk, and magnesium and anythign else you can test for.

[will8]

thanks for the info, i have TMC 500 single, marine blue. since iam new to the hobby only been doing it for six months. i would start with mu.shrooms, star and buttons polps maybe some cathedral coral.
the filtration on the tank composes off ext rena XP3 filter with 4 pads PPI foam, ceramic rings, Bio-chem zorb and a microfiltration pad in the there i also put a bag of Rowaphos in. Waiting for the LFS to get me a reactor.
Probems are Phosphates levels are high was 0.5 but now down to 0.2. rest of the levels are nitrite 0 nitrate 15 ammonia 0 ph 8.0-8.3 temp 25c calcuim 410, never done the others test will have to gets some kits.
liverstock--- 2 common clowns 1 flame angel 1 coarl beauty 1 humbug dansel 1 pb tang. i have 8 turbos snails, 1 arrow crab and 1 cleaner and blood shrimp. thanks for taking time to give me some advice. its looks like i have wasted my money on the TMC 500 and buying some blue bulbs when it wont do when the LFS should it would.

[cmor1701d]

Sorry, but 12w of LED is not enough light. T8 are not so hot either. You would have been much better off gettting a 4 - 6 bulb T5 light fixture. That should let you have maintain all but the higher light corals.

But, you do have two dwarf angels in your tank. They can nip at corals. My coral beauty has not yet (it's been in my tank for 5 years), but I still worry that one day it will develop a tast for coral polyps and will have to go.

You also want to get your nitrates under 5 if possbile and get rid of the phosphate. I'm surprised that the flame angel and cb tolerate each other in a small tank.

[will8]

thanks for the info, looks like when i get the cash and when i find some T5s to fit my tank i wll have to get some. just FOWLR for now. any ideas on the T5s for my tank. As for the angels they get on ok.

[cmor1701d]

You probably have more/different choices than we do in the US. T5's have been the 'In" thing for several years now on the continent. Look for a quality parabolic reflector like this TEK LIGHT.

[will8]

thanks put a bid in on a german make on e bay, thanks again for all your help.

[tamra&steven]

you can get MH retrofir kits from JBJ that a very nice. the reflectors are great and the price only $260 ea. so you would just be above $500 and have no limits on what you can keep because of lighting.

[cmor1701d]

He's in the UK. True the dollar is down so buying here and shipping may end up cheaper, but then the plug wont fit.