How much light?

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What types of corals?? If you plan on doing a tank with stuff like lps, and sps corals, then you might want to have about 10 watts per gallon, which would be good for lps and sps corals, and a few clams. Try and find lights that would add up to like 200watts or more.
 
I agree with teen in the fact that it depends on what you want to keep. I disagree with him on the amount. 10 watts/gal is a bit excessive for most tanks. It does depend on the tank depth. Is this a show 20 gal. or a 20 long? I would say you should be able to keep most anything you want with 5-7 watts/gal. the exception being some SPS and some clams. You do not need lighting you can land planes with to raise most corals :wink: Lando
 
But wouldn't that be too much given that a 20 gallon is considerably lower in depth? If not please correct me, because I plan on doing a 20 gallon reef in the future also (next year). I was told that the new 12 gallon nano could house small clams with 48 watts of pc. In fact, I was told that it would house just about everything. Is this wrong?
 
You could easily do most softies, mushrooms, polyps, zoos and the majority of LPS corals with 4 watts/gal or less. Maybe even a BTA or clam depending on tank depth.
 
I have normal 20 gallon tank too and was wondering if the Orbit 24" PC housing would would work with a 50/50 daylight and an atinic PC bulbs for a reef tank. Thanks, Wolf
 
Wolf, that would be great light for a 20 gal. at 130 watts you would have just over 6 watts/gal. Very nice. I would do one actinic and one 10,00K instead of the 50/50.
 
Well ya, 10 watts/gal is alittle to high, but I believe the more lighting the happier corals :D I have about 10watts per gallon for my 55 and I wont be able to hold everything, like a few clams I cannot carry, because they somewhat need metal hallides, is what I have gotten for advice here :roll: But my tank can hold alot of stuff for 550watts.
 
really? With 10 watts/gal you can't have clams? I have never got into the corals that require higher lighting, but that seems odd. 550 watts on a 55 seems like a lot of light, it would seem that you could keep sps??? I have always admired these corals. Why are MH a must?
 
You should post some pics, your tank sounds great! How big is yur capnella? I have a small frag that is growing nicely, but I have never seen what they look like all grown up. I got mine from garf, so I have nothing to gauge it by.
 
the whole watts/gal. thing is relative. While 10 watts per gal of lighitng is a lot, they type of lighting makes a difference. If you plan to keep high-light corals, like SPS, some clames and most anenomes MH lighting will be best. The reason...MH light does a better job at penetrating the water then flourescent lighting does. More wattage reaches your corals. Taking the glass top off of the tank and cleaning the salt creep from the lights makes a big difeerence to.
 
Lando, thanks for your advice. With lights like that could I have like anything with strong lighting? Like clams and anemones, etc.? Thanks, Wolf
 
Some may disagree, but you should be able to keep just anything you want (except SPS corals and some aneomes) with the CF fixture. Even clams may do okay. I had a Corccea clam in my first reef tank and it did great under CF lighting. It was a 38 gal with 2x96 watt CF bulbs.
 
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