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FAQs Lighting for Marine Invertebrates 6

Related Articles: Lighting Marine Invertebrates, Coral System Lighting, Acclimating Symbiotic Reef Invertebrates to Captive Lighting, Anemone Lighting, Marine Light, & Lighting, Feeding Reef Invertebrates, Technology: Putting on the Brakes:  How much is too much? By Tommy Dornhoffer,

Related FAQs: Lighting Marine Inverts 1, Lighting Marine Inverts 2, Lighting Marine Inverts 3, Lighting Lighting Marine Inverts 4, Lighting Marine Inverts 5, & & FAQs on Coral Lighting: Science/Application, Designs/Fixtures, Lamps/Bulbs, Quality, Duration & Intensity, Night-Time, Troubleshooting/Fixing, Makes/Models/Manufacturers, & Small System Lighting, Acclimating Symbiotic Reef Invertebrates to Captive Lighting, LR Lighting, Marine System Lighting, FAQs 2, FAQs 3, FAQs 4, FAQs 5, Actinic Lighting, Metal Halide Lighting, Fluorescent Lighting, Compact Fluorescent Lighting, Tridacnid Clams, Lighting Tridacnid Clams, Small System Lighting, Reef Systems 1, Reef Systems 2, Reef Set-Up 1, Reef Set-Up 2, Reef Set-Up 3, Reef Set-Up 4, Reef Set-Up 5, Reef Set-Up 6, Reef Filtration, & Reef Livestocking, Reef Livestocking 2, Reef Feeding, Reef Disease, Reef Maintenance,


Remember... you're lighting all

Lighting Cnidarians, 75 gal., T 5s      1/7/09
Hi crew,
<Hi Marc, Minh at your service.>
Real quick one. Just would like your opinion. I have 220 watts of t5 lighting on a 75 gallon tank. One actinic bulb, two 18k bulbs, and one 10k bulb. Do you think this would be enough lighting for mushrooms, and leather corals? Cauliflower, Finger, and Toadstool leathers. Also do you think it would be sufficient for some LPS, mostly would like to add a Frogspawn, Torch or Hammer coral.
<Although there are many varieties of T5 lighting each with different performance capabilities based on the brand of bulb, type of ballast and reflectors used, the average T5 set up should be more than adequate for the corals you want to keep. To find out performance data on your particular set up, you can visit this excellent lighting information page:
http://tfivetesting.googlepages.com.>
Thanks again,
Marc
<You're welcome. Cheers, Minh Huynh.>  

Reef Lighting/Selection 1/5/09
Looking to by bulb combo. For a 4ft 23inch deep tank. Looking to do fish and soft corals. Looking at the TEK 6 bulb light fixture. What is the best setup? Choice of Giesemann and ATI.
Someone said 3 ATI blue plus and 3 Giesemann aqua blu. Or add 1 UVL AquaSun and take out a Giesemann. Want bulbs for growth and light without it being too blue.
<Personally I think the fixtures you mention are pretty pricey. Take a look at the Current 8 bulb fixture which can be had for 100 bucks less with lamps. Look here.
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage~PageAlias~lighting_fluorescent_
current_usa_nova_extreme_t5_high_output_ho_lunar.html
As far as bulb selection, I'm thinking dealers are not going to open boxes and switch lamps for you. If you find one that will, then I'd go with a 3 to 1 ratio of 10K and actinic. James (Salty Dog)>

Re: Reef Lighting/Selection 1/5/09
Bob,
You may want to post this in addition to my reply of the above query.
Drs. Foster & Smith has a sale on the Nova Extreme 8 lamp T5 fixture. Their sale price including lamps is 386.99, item number AKA-21109. www.drsfostersmith.com.
James
<<Have forwarded to the querior as well. B>>

Adequate Reef Lighting? ~ 01/05/09
Hi Guys,
<<Howdy Peter>>
I recently purchased a lighting canopy from a friend. This canopy is outfitted with a 2 65watt compact fluorescents (one daylight 10000k/one actinic) as well as a 150 watt metal halide. I will be using this canopy for my 65 gal reef aquarium that is 3' long and 18" deep. I currently have several mushrooms and xenias, Zoanthids and a toadstool
coral. Is this enough lighting for this size tank and corals?
<<Strictly speaking, yes, this should be plenty of light for this tank/these animals. Whether or not it is *optimum* is a different matter. I have seen Corallimorphs turn brown under lighting that was too intense for their needs, though they did just fine otherwise. And if the Toadstool happens to be the variety commonly known as a Yellow Fiji Leather, then it will likely appreciate a bit more intensity though it will probably do fine here if positioned correctly. My point to this is there are no pat answers. Yes, this light can/will keep your corals alive in this tank. But you will need to research the individual lighting requirements’ of each to determine their best placement re orientation and height within the water column>>
Also, when I determine the amount of watts I am providing to my tank, is this just an addition of the fluorescents and halides?
<<Indeed… But this *rule of thumb* is a poor guideline at best. In addition to the individual needs of the corals, the efficacy of the lighting is also affected by water clarity, reflector quality, bulb and ballast type/manufacturer, etc… Even effective supplemental feeding (or lack thereof) of your corals may have an effect on the lighting needs/effectiveness>>
Thanks,
Peter
<<Happy to share. EricR>>

Re: Adequate Reef Lighting? Actinic f' ~ 01/06/09
Do the actinic bulbs count toward the total watts of light being delivered to the tank or is it just the whites??
<<The basis of the formula is ANY wattage… But… A 10,000K bulb is going to provide more useful output than an Actinic bulb of the same wattage… And points out yet another inherent flaw to using this woefully poor *formula* for determining the effectiveness of your lighting>>
Thanks again,
Peter
<<Regards, EricR>>

Lighting 200 gal reef 12/16/08
Thanks for doing an excellent job.
<Thank you for reading, writing.>
I have a choice of two light fixtures for a 200 gal. tank which measures L72" X W24" X H30".
They both have four PC's which I believe are 96watts each, but the choice is the three metal halides, either 150 watts, or 250.
Which would you recommend? I currently have 6 X 96 watt PC's and want the metal halides.
<If you intend on keeping the same livestock you have with your PC's the 150s can do, but for a 30" deep tank 250 MH bulbs are the way to go.
It will give you the flexibility of keeping just about anything lighting wise within the tank. Light intensive livestock in the upper half, with less needy inverts down towards the bottom. With 150s you will be a bit more limited, keeping
things such as SPS in the upper third or so.>
James Wedel
<Scott V.>

Reef Lighting During Winter Question � 11/17/08
Hi all,
<<Greetings Skaife>>
Great information on your site, and I use it frequently to expand my knowledge.
<<Very good to hear>>
Now for my question. I have a 125g saltwater tank with 4 X 96W PC lighting. I have some xenia, a few Kenya trees, and a purple ribbon gorgonian that were on my live rock and have flourished in my tank.
<<Mmm, okay but I would expect the gorgonian (likely Pterogorgia sp.), and even the other corals you mention, would enjoy/benefit from a bit more light intensity than you now have especially since Im betting that at least half these bulbs are Actinic vs. Daylight>>
My question is about altering my lighting schedule during the winter.
<<Not necessary… Most all tropical locations where these organisms are collected have about the same duration of daylight year-round (i.e. � 12 hrs)>>
I do not use a heater on my tank, as it stays very consistent between 77-79 degrees during the summer months as that is our room temperature.
<<This is not an uncommon practice. The gear (pumps, lights, etc.) used to keep our reef systems going generally produce more than enough heat delegating heaters to an �emergency only� role for the most part>>
During the winter, we drop our temperature down to 75 degrees in the house, which is changing the tank temperature to 75-77 degrees.
<<Should be fine>>
With this water temperature change, I was wondering if I should alter the lighting times to relate to winter months.
<<Nope…for the reason stated>>
I currently run the actinic 8 hours, and the 10K daylight bulbs 6 hours.
<<Mmm… Insufficient in my opinion… You say your corals are flourishing, but I'll wager they are not… Not under this lighting combo and regimen… They may be living, even growing a bit but I do also believe they would fare better under more light. At the least, I recommend you increase the 10K photo-period to at least 10-hours per day with 12-hours being even better. There's been some speculation that increasing the photo-period can in a small way compensate for lack of intensity, but adding another couple 10K bulbs, in conjunction with increasing the lighting duration, would be of great benefit here in my opinion>>
I was thinking of reducing it down to 6 hours actinic and 4 hours daylight. Would this be ok?
<<I do not recommend this>>
Or should I leave it on the normal schedule?
<<The schedule you have now is not �normal�…bump up the light, mate. Here's some additional info/reading on marine system lighting: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/lighting/index.htm >>
Thanks,
Skaife
<<Happy to share. EricR>>

Lighting for 55 gallon reef 11/15/08
I am looking for lighting for a 55 gallon reef, 36x18x20. I am planning to keep softies and LPS corals because, as Bob writes in his book, I need to learn the craft before I start on the more challenging stuff. I have been researching and have narrowed the field, and am hoping you can advise me.
<Sure.>
I am leaning towards T5 fluorescents.
<Great choice.>
The two fixtures I am looking at are the Tek Light (6x39w), or the Aquactinics Tx5 (5x39w). Is there a big difference between the two fixtures?
<Just the one bulb difference.>
Do you know if the design/materials of the Aquactinics make up for having one less bulb?
<No, both appear to have individual reflectors.>
The third option I am considering is the SunPod MH, 2x150 watt MH HQI. I would either run a Ushio 10k or Phoenix 14k bulb. I may need actinic supplementation for aesthetics.
<I would stick with the T5 on this tank.>
Are any of these options better than the others? Is there another one I am missing?
<Nah, either of the T5 offerings you mention will serve you well. Look at price, the
inclusion of bulbs with the fixture. All of that being equal, do opt for the 6 bulb.>
I do appreciate the help. Thanks
dean
<Very welcome, Scott V.>

Re: Lighting for 55 gallon reef 11/16/08
Thanks Scott.
<Welcome.>
With bulbs and all, they were very close in price. It seemed that the Tek light was the better deal, but with the Aquactinic rep I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.
<Nah, same basic thing except the extra bulb.>
dean
<Scott V.>

Re: Lighting for 55 gallon reef
Further Comment on Light Posting, fluo. fixt. choices 11/18/08
Hey,
<Hello Dean.>
I was reading the dailies and saw a response to my post. I have comment of my own.
<Okay.>
Scott and Andy,
I did choose to go with the Tek 6 HO light for a couple of reasons. I agree that the Aquactinics TX5 has some performance characteristics over the Tek 6 Light, but the Tek 6 has some as well.
The Aquactinics has better reflectors and active cooling, and both contribute to the fixtures performance. From my research, the TX5 can penetrate better. My tank however is only 20" deep, with a DSB also in the mix, so I cannot take full advantage of the reflectors. If my tank was a 65, 36x18x24 it would be a different story.
As for active cooling, I saw my third snowstorm of the season today, My place doesn't get that warm, and I can always add a fan. In the end what was the deciding factor was the sixth bulb. Not because extra wattage, but because a sixth bulb give me more flexibility in mixing bulbs and tuning the spectra.
<A good point not yet mentioned.>
My bulbs are:
Back
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Korallin Zucht Fiji Purple
Giesemann Midday
ATI Blue Plus
UVL 72.25
ATI Blue Plus
Front
The TX5 may be the better fixture, but the Tek 6 made more sense in my situation as it turns out. I would have had to give up my 75.25 and I really wanted that to pull out the reds in my firefish and coralline.
But thanks for the help! This has been very educational for me. Y'all rock.
Dean
<Thank you for the further input Dean. My stance re has already been
posted. Glad you are happy with your choice. Scott V.>
The post was:
*Comment on Light Posting, fluo. fixt. choices 11/18/08*
<Hello again Andy.>
I was reading Today's Questions and saw a snippet of a post about the TEK
vs. Aquactinics lights. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the original post/answer, so forgive me if I'm way off base here. The post/answer was:
"Re: Lighting for 55 gallon reef 11/16/08
Thanks Scott.
<Welcome.>
With bulbs and all, they were very close in price. It seemed that the Tek light was the better deal, but with the Aquactinic rep I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.
<Nah, same basic thing except the extra bulb.>
dean
<Scott V.>"
I assume the poster/you were talking about the TEK 6 light HO T5 versus the Aquactinics TX5 fixture? <Yes.> I have seen/observed both of these in action, and I can tell you that there is a pretty significant difference between the two fixtures, IMO. The difference in output/light quality/brightness is pretty astounding, with the Aquactinics being the superior fixture. I'm not poo pooing the TEK, which is a fine fixture, but the 5-bulb Aquactinics I've seen produces a much better/brighter output than the 6-bulb TEK. Maybe it's the reflectors, maybe it's the ballasts, maybe it's the bulbs that were being used--I don't know. I've been told that the TEK runs very hot, which I'm also told reduces the efficiency of the fixture/bulbs. Although I don't always subscribe to this way of thinking,
I honestly believe there is a reason the Aquactinics fixture is more expensive--because it is hands down a better fixture. My LFS uses both, and the difference really is impressive. I'm sure you/others have a lot more experience with light fixtures, and maybe these models in particular, but I just thought I'd share my impressions/$.02.
<Thank you for your input, I do have to say I myself have not seen the difference. There are so many factors to consider: bulb type/spectrum, age of bulbs, fixture maintenance (reflector cleaning), and even the perception of light put out. Both of these fixtures use HO T5 bulbs with individual reflectors. I do appreciate your comments and this will be posted for others
to make a more educated choice. Thank you.>
Andy
<Talk again soon, Scott V.>

Re: Stocking, Questions in general- now marine invert lighting 11/4/08
Thanks for the quick response!
<My pleasure.>
I went to www.asira.org, another awesome website!
<Tis, put together by WWM's own Sara M. (when she is not dressing up dogs).>
<<Haha... thank you Marc, Scott.>>
Just wanted your opinion on one other thing. the lighting in my tanks consists of two lights. A Finnex, t5, with two 55 watt bulbs, and a Coralife t5, with two 26 watt bulbs. So, in total, about 160 watts of t5 lighting. So just over 2 watts per gallon. But, I have my liverock stacked in the middle of the tank, and by middle I'm referring to back to front, and then running from one side of the tank to the other, left to right. So the rock wall divides the tank in half, it almost makes it like a 55 gallon display, with the back half of the tank just adds to water volume. So I have the two lights in the very front of the tank, with the one actually tilts back at the front of the rock wall, and behind the rock wall is not lit up at all. So am I right in assuming that this is more intense than if it was lighting up the entire tank.
<Yes, concentrated in one section.>
Also I don't know if you are familiar with asira.com's rating system with lighting, but if you are, what you consider the lighting i have, they rate moderate t5 lighting to be a 3, and then extensive t5 lighting to be like a 5 or a 6, according to this ranking system, where would you rate my lighting?
<Sara herself may very well chime in here, but I would call this a 3-4, do also keep in mind her scale depends on placement also.>
<<Yes, indeed... especially with T5 lighting (well, any lighting really), depth makes a *huge* difference.  I would rate it a 3-4 at about 2ft+ down, from the top down to 1.5 to 2ft, it might be closer to a 5. -Sara M.>>
Thanks again for the help!
Marc
<Welcome, Scott V.>

T5 lighting for 30 gallon mini reef 11/2/08
I am saving up for a lighting upgrade on my 30 gallon tank. For corals I currently have some softies and a sun coral.
<The latter can be tough, depending on the species. See: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/dendrophylliidae.htm.>
For lighting I'm temporarily using power compact lighting (4-foot light on a 3-foot tank) which I got for free. <Can't beat the price! I have yet to pay someone to take my *old * lighting!>
I have been saving up for months to get upgraded lights that will allow me to handle some LPS and a clam (not too interested in SPS at present, but it seems the clam is just as demanding).
<For the most part, yes.>
I think T5's seem a good way to go because they are cheaper than Halides both initially and down the road (electricity, cooling, bulb replacement). Also since my tank is not huge or deep, I'm guessing that T5's can penetrate deep enough without help from Halides.
<T5s are the way to go IMO, save the �shimmer� effect.>
I plan to get a fixture (no canopy) with individual reflectors. What would be the appropriate amount of T5 bulbs to have a happy-healthy clam in a 30 gallon tank? 4x39watts? Or would I be better off with 6 bulbs?
<The 6 bulb configuration.>
I wouldn't guess that less than 4 bulbs would be advisable.
<No.>
The clam could go towards the top, if that is an issue. I'm leaning towards Current Sundial (4 bulb) and Current Nova Extreme PRO (6 bulb). I know there are better and more expensive fixtures out there (like TEK) but when it already takes me 6 months to save up $250 for lights, I would need a good reason to save up for a $400ish fixture instead.
<Do realize that for clams that will not outgrow this tank, intensive lighting and high placement will be necessary, meaning high placement in this case, can be done. Ca supplementation in such a small volume will also be an issue. Daily, if not automatic.>
Thanks for the help, Jack
<Welcome, Scott V.>

Fiber optics, sunlight and reef lighting 11/2/08
Hello again WWM crew and thank you in advance for your help (past, present and future!).
<Glad the site has helped you out!>
I was wondering if there is any available information about reef lighting using fiber optics to transmit actual collected sunlight. I have seen articles about using fiber optic lighting using MH and other synthetic light sources, but I am unable to find anything about using natural light source with fiber optics to light a reef.
<I too have been wondering this, searching for possibilities lately.>
I know there are technologies out there that use fiber optics to carry sunlight indoors to be used to light areas of rooms, but that doesn't necessarily require the spectrum to be transmitted. I know these systems are typically supplemental lights, since the sun isn't always bright enough on rainy days and gives no help at night, but it seems to me that may actually be beneficial in a reef system as long as the spectrum is maintained.
<Yes.>
It seems it would provide a year round natural light cycle that could have its own benefits. I realize that you would have to have enough fibers to attain the proper intensity, but I do not know how many fibers that might be.
<Nor do I, it would depend on the ambient intensity.>
So, basically what I am wanting to know is can fiber optics be used to transmit sunlight to a reef tank in place of artificial lights?
<I have no doubt it could.>
Can it maintain the proper quality and quantity for photosynthetic creatures?
<Don't see why not.>
Would such a system be possible and feasible or would it necessarily be too large in order to maintain light intensity?
<I suspect it would likely be cost prohibitive.>
It seems to me that even if there were more initial cost, the long term savings in electricity and replaced bulbs would offset the initial investment rather quickly.
<To a point. I do love, am captivated by the idea. With new emerging technologies, the power cost to light our reefs is dropping all the time. Free would be nice. T5s have started to change the way reef lighting is implemented, with the LEDs being the future IMO. Below is the best material I have found thus far on the subject, though not directly reef related.>
Once again, thanks for all your help and for a great site. Rob Watson
<Welcome, Scott V.> http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/246/ http://pesn.com/2005/07/27/9600139_Fiber_Optics_Bring_Sun_Indoors/

Re: Fiber optics, sunlight and reef lighting 11/5/08
Thanks for the quick response and good info.
<My pleasure, learning here too!>
It seems to me from the info you pointed me to that the technology is probably there.
<Definitely, the question is, is it worth the cost or can it be done DIY?>
The system that seemed most promising in my opinion is the satellite dish style collector that moves with the sun. I had seen some info on these systems already, but what you pointed me to was more informative.
As a follow-up, if I were to query these companies about the light quality their systems emit at the business end of the fiber optics, what questions would be pertinent? I am aware of the guidelines for artificial light (Kelvin rating preferred 10-20 K, 4-8 watts per gallon depending on species being kept), but I am sure there are other questions that would be more informative in this natural lighting type scenario.
<That is one question, what is the color temperature that is actually transmitted. From what I have read the data FOs use shorter wavelengths than we would use in the reef. But, I do also realize it is more of a matter of the source light, which in our case is the sun. If the spectrum is transmitted without alteration, actinic lighting can balance things out for the tank.>
For instance, is there a PAR rating of the light exiting the fiber optics that I need to look for (based on mounting the "lamp" end either at X distance from the water surface or even under water)?
<I would ask in regards to spectrum and lumens emitted. I doubt (though it would not hurt to ask) that they will have a PAR value to offer, it would be nice.>
Since one of their main points is that you get natural color, does that need to be a concern? Or, does that most likely mean the light will be around 6700 K and not near the 10K or more desired?
<Actinic supplementation would be required. If a filter is employed to alter the spectrum (or if the optic line itself changes things), it would simply filter out the lower wavelengths, not increase the shorter.>
Is there some other measure or light intensity I need to seek, or if they claim their light is equivalent to X watts, would that be more useful?
<Watts in relation to whatever bulb they are comparing it to can be useful, I would like to know a claimed lumen output, although this will depend highly on the input!>
I saw an article (I believe in Advanced Aquarist) that mentioned the possibility of the light-emitting end being placed under the water surface, since there isn't heat emitted and no electricity to prevent this, that would allow for lower light levels since you would be losing no light to surface reflection. Not sure I am a total proponent of this, since you would lose the dappling effect that you get from single point light source. Plus, it seems you would inevitably get salt creep into difficult to clean places, even in a very well sealed unit. But I can see the benefits of requiring less light and making this more feasible since there is no surface reflection. What are your thoughts on above the water surface versus below the surface lighting in this type setup?
<I see many problems with below the water, mainly light dispersion. Even though it is �free�, we still want the whole tank to be lit!>
The articles I read also state that the reflector of this systems blocks UV and IR. While I can definitely see the benefits (no cancerous UV and no heat transmission from IR), is there some amount of these spectrums that is currently considered necessary in a reef?
<Not really, we do take steps to filter out UV with our halides. Some do argue that some UV is necessary.>
I am aware that in many species, lack of UV-B can cause calcium deficiency. Do corals and other photosynthetics also utilize UVA and UVB?
<No.>
Would the lack of all UV be detrimental? Would it be better to only block the cancerous UVC for a reef?
<These all bring us back to the basic question, what spectrum do these systems transmit? Filtering out the shorter wavelengths will lower the Kelvin rating. Do realize many indoor lights are 4000K, or even down to 3000! If this is what they are comparing to then.  However, I do suspect the filtering of shorter wavelengths is intentional, likely with a simple filter, that should be able to be omitted from the system.>
Thanks again for all the help.
Sincerely,
Rob Watson
<Thank you for spurring me to investigate this further. I have talked to a couple of engineering/reefing friends and they both seem to think there is great promise in this, even as a DIY! One even has the idea (and wants to try out) of aluminizing (like they do for telescope mirrors) a satellite TV dish. It is a parabolic collector with a known focal point! Pricing out some FO lines, we speculate this may be able to be done for the price of a nice MH fixture. Time and experimentation will tell, as will spectrum and intensity! One great link I was pointed to, hopefully this will help you out too. I will keep in touch with what we find, as I urge you to do to. Scott V.>
http://www.nait.org/jit/Articles/grise122002.pdf

Lighting Choices... reef  9/26/08
Hi everyone.
I have a lighting question for you. I have looked at your site but the more I look the more I get confused. I was reading this article from Bob
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/lighting/index.htm
and it states in his opinion that full spectrum florescent lighting VHO is the best most appropriate lighting.
<In some situations, less so nowadays.>
But then when I read more into other articles others there answer say that PC and VHO are basically the same but PC has more density than VHO but Metal Halide would be the way to go.
<Again, it depends on your system and livestock.>
This is my plan and then you can give me an idea if you don't mind. I have a 55g that I want to move over to a 125g AGA that I got a few months ago. I have finally finished the sand bed and plumbing and want to start on the light. The light I have now on my 55 is a Odyssea 260w CF and I don't think that will be enough of my 125. I am going to build a canopy and was planning on pulling the fixture apart to put in there but again I don't think that is enough. I was planning on putting some DIY MH till now. It has a 6in sand bed right now. All my stock is still in my 55 which is a 4ft Zebra Eel (reason why I need to switch to my 125) 1 Clown, few Dempsey, Angel, butterfly and yellow tang and a few sps.
<Yep, time to upsize!>
I want to be able to really stock this once its up and going to lots of coral.
<What corals do you wish to keep?>
What is you recommendation on the light and how much (wattage, quantity, etc..)Also don't want something that will bring my electric cost up. Single parent.
<More wattage equals more power used regardless of bulb type. For what you are looking to do you may want to consider T5 bulbs. They tend to impart less heat into the water and are as energy efficient that you can get right now (except for LEDs, but these are big money). How much wattage depends on what you wish to keep. A little research on your part regarding your desired livestock will answer this.>
Been doing this for about 5-6years so I'm not really new to all this.
Thanks!!
Bill M
<Welcome, Scott V.>

Odd Lighting Question revised (sorry guys and gals), SW fixture choices, reefs...  9/25/08
Hello crew, hope you all are well.
<I am here, thank you.>
So I have a lighting question for you. I have a 60 cube that is 30" long x 24" tall x 18" wide. I was using two t5 lighting units, both 48 watts. I recently upgraded to a SunPod 30". Its a 150 watt MH with all the LED's ( very happy to have those for night time viewing). I took the t5's down, but after chatting with some reefer friends that use other types of lights with there MH's, I started to think about maybe using the t5's with the MH SunPod. Would you recommend this?
<You could, its up to you. Most use T5 actinics with MH to “blue” the water a bit more and make the livestock fluoresce a bit. Realize that all light transfers some heat to the tank, even T5s.>br>I am not doing any sps, just softies, LPSs, polyps, and Shrooms. Also, I have read/heard never to remove the center plastic beam on the top of the tank, and I haven't, but it casts a shadow in the center of the tank from the MH. What's your take on that black plastic beam?
<I hate the danged things, but if your tank was designed with it leave it be.>
I am hanging the MH pendant about 10" above the tank, do you think
I should lower it?
<7-10” is about right.>
Also because my tank is so tall would I benefit from lowering the light, as well as using the t5's?
<What you list will be fine with the light you have, but the T5s will not hurt anything either. They can have quite an impact on the look of the tank depending on bulb choice.>br>Also, given the right conditions how long does it usually take coal to grow/propagate?
<Depends on the coral.>
II have notices some of my zoo's grow new polyps, but my hammer hasn't gotten any bigger or shown any signs of new growth. I also have never had Mushroom reproduce either. I have heard stories of people putting mushrooms in a tank and two weeks later splitting occurs. All my water parameters are in line and I test and change water religiously. I feed the coral with DTS 3 times a week. Any suggestions?
<Mushrooms do appreciate more of an indirect, subdued light and current. These are one of those corals that can grow like gangbusters in ill maintained systems and just be there in immaculate tanks. More info at the link below and linked pages above on the page.>br> http://www.wetwebmedia.com/corallim.htm
Thanks again guys and thanks for your continued support and information. This site has been a wealth of information for me over the past year.
<Heee, thank you and welcome!>
Spencer Hall
<Scott V.>

Lighting for a 150 gallon reef tank 09/18/2008
<<Hi there, Andrew this evening>>
I recently bought a 150 gallon reef ready oceanic tank, about 29 inches deep. This will be my 4th and largest tank. I plan on making this one an SPS and clam tank, and am going through my lighting options. I would like to go
with metal halides complimented with some t5's or PC's. A few concerns here.
The oceanic 150 tank has a very large and thick piece of glass used as the center brace. This sort of rules out the common and easy to find 3x xxxWatt fixtures, as the middle bulb would be blocked significantly by the brace.
<<Ahh yes, a very common issue>>
I guess these are the options I've come up with. 2x250 watt, 2x400 watt, 4x150 watt, 4x250 watt, 4x400 watt. Most of these have 4x pc's or t5's. I think that the 4x250 watt system would work well, but for some reason is about
$500 more than the 4x400 watt system I had found, which I fear may be overkill - plus a burden on my electrical system. The tank I planned on leaving with an open top and no canopy. The 2x400 watt option I feel would work well, however that would be 2 pendants without the complimenting t5's. I'd like to keep the look as simple and aesthetic as possible, and a strip of t5's I feel would hurt the look with some clean pendants. I wish that a 3x 400 watt system would work on this tank, but I fear the middle bulb would be blocked too much, as well as potentially melt the small piece of plastic which runs across the glass brace.
Of the combinations I've listed, which do you think would work well for a tank this size?
<<Josh, my suggestion to you would be 4x250w. This will give a nice coverage of light, down the full length of the tank, and be good enough to penetrate to the depths.
Thanks, Josh
<<Thanks for the questions, i hope this helps. A Nixon>>

Reef Aquarium, lighting, stkg.  09/18/2008
Hello,
<<Hello, Andrew this evening>>
I am currently setting up a 65 gallon reef aquarium 36x18x24 and I have a few questions I would like to ask.
<<Certainly, let's get to them>>
It has a Tunze DOC protein skimmer and a Tunze Calcium reactor and 65 pounds of LR and as well I use RODI water.
<<Nice>>
I am planning on putting mainly LPS, Zoanthids, Clams, and maybe Montipora in the aquarium, The lighting on the aquarium is 1- 14,000k 400 watt bulb and 2-96 watt power compacts is that sufficient enough?
<<Certainly, yes. Might be too much for some, but, simple use of shadier areas are were good>>
Secondly, how long should I wait till I had clams from the species Squamosa, deresa and/or gigas into the aquarium?
<<On the clams listed, i would not suggest any of the ones listed, as they all get to a foot or more in length>>
In addition, can I add LPS corals into the aquarium after it is done cycling?
<<Sure thing>>
Thirdly, I plan on having 2 Percula clowns, 1 mystery wrasse and I wanted to put a tang in the aquarium as a centerpiece. I was wondering if that was possible and if so which species?
In about a 60 gallon tank, the only tang i would suggest is Zebrasoma flavescens>>
Thank you very much for all your great advice
Sam.
<<Thanks for the email and questions, Sam, I hope this helps. A Nixon>>

Lighting ??...I'm in over my head!! Reef  9/1/08
Hey Crew,
<Phil>
After much reading, and little understanding, I have decided to ask the crew for lighting help.
<Okay>
I have a 75 gal reef tank. Along with fish, I have a Colt Coral, Finger Leather, Candy Cane Coral, Zoanthids, mushrooms, polyps, and Open Brain Coral. I have a Current T5 Nova Extreme Pro (3 54w 10K, 3 54 w 460nm).
I want to use the best bulb setup for my tank...but the choices are immense.
<They are and growing all the time!>
Please help!! Giesemann makes AquaBlue + (60/40 combination of 6000K and 22000K phosphor blend), Midday (6000K 5 point Spectrum), Actinic + (60/40 combination of deep blue and actinic), and Pure Actinic. Furthermore, besides the bulbs that came with my fixture, Current makes a 420nm actinic and a 6700K bulb. FosterSmith also has 10K Reef Blue, 10K Reef White, Actinic White 12K, and Super Actinic
420nm. Yikes!! Stop the madness!! Will you please tell me what the best combination of bulbs would be for my 6 bulb T5 fixture would be??
<The best combo is hugely personal choice, but I can certainly tell you what I would do and why. I would run four of the white 10000K bulbs with two of the actinics, with one actinic placed in the very front of the fixture, the other pretty much wherever. The daylights will provide the light for your corals to grow, while the two actinics will provide a look that most would be happy with. By placing at least one of the actinics in the front you will see the maximum effect of it when viewing the tank from the front.>
Thanks!! Sorry for being...forever...a lighting noob.
-Phil
<Welcome, enjoy the system, Scott V.>

Lighting New Reef 8/22/08
I’m setting off on a new path and wanted to ask a few questions. The answers are there, for sure, however much reading has left my head spinning as usual. I have decided I want to take the ‘next step’ and have purchased a reef tank… the tank is a ‘reef-ready’ 65 gallon, 36” long by probably 24” high and 19” wide.
<Do check out WWM re these "reef ready" tanks, most are not.>
We are doing this ultra slow, as in all I have purchased so far is the tank and stand, and as I am planning only to purchase the best items possible, I am purchasing them as funds allow. This is good, because it is giving me more time to learn about the future inhabitants. I think I’ve settled on a skimmer, an AquaC Urchin model to go in a 20 gallon refugium I am working on building myself.
<Fine choice.>
My questions revolve around corals and lighting. The LFS I purchased the tank from uses T5HO lighting instead of Metal Halide. The brand he recommends is ‘Tek’, which I’ve never heard of.
<Nothing wrong with those fixtures.>
Lighting has been a big question, because obviously this will be a costly investment and it needs to be the right decision. I’ve looked at several ‘pendant’ or hang on type Halide lights, which would provide 300w of halide lighting from two units, but they don’t offer any other forms of lighting. I’ve also considered the big units that combine a halide light with PC lighting and the aesthetic moonlight. Now, of course, this T5HO lighting has entered the running and stirred things up even more. Any way you dice it up, it looks like lighting will be a $400 to $500 investment. I do not want to over light the tank, so to speak, and will not be adding a chiller to this tank. Which direction would you lean?
<Definitely with the T5. You will have more flexibility in swapping bulbs to get the look you want, you won’t have to worry about the pesky center brace on your tank, and this will be your best shot to avoid the chiller (least heat transfer to the tank).>
I’m trying to refrain from coral questions till I have read more. If you can think of some common names I can use in the search engine to find some of the easier ‘beginner’ corals that might narrow my search, I’d love to see them.
<A trick question! I suggest picking up a book or flipping further through WWM and deciding what you are interested in, that is what counts! Then you can build your system to suit the needs (amount of lighting/water flow, placement, general care). Do be sure to also take a look at compatibility between different corals that interest you.> <<Good answer. RMF>>
Thanks again,
Thomas Roach
<Welcome, Scott V. Oh, one last thing. Do check out the site listed below, it was put together by our own Sara M. Great site giving you the basics on many of the commonly available corals.>
http://www.asira.org/caresheets

Re: Lighting New Reef 8/27/08
T5 it will be then! Thanks so much again. I've noticed that these fixtures
all seem to have 39w bulbs, but how many is sufficient? 4 bulbs? 6 bulbs?
8 bulbs? Those seem to be the common offerings.
<It again depends on your desired livestock, but the 8 bulb could be suitable for most anything. This will give you the intensity to keep higher light needing corals (with correct placement) and the ability to keep lower light corals if you wish. You can always run lower intensity (bluer) bulbs, or even shut some bulbs off. >
My interpretations from
the reading is that a 10k mix with some Actinic bulbs would be best.
<It is the best mix, don’t get too caught up in having a ton of actinic. A few is all that you will need to get “the look”. Where the actinics are positioned inside the fixture itself can have a huge impact on the look of the tank. Play with the configuration a bit to see what you like.>
Oh, and by 'reef ready' I mean that it has a built in overflow. I want
everything contained within the sump so that nothing is visible or hanging
on the tank.
<Very good.>
Thanks again!
<Welcome, Scott V.>
Thomas Roach

Lighting for 55 Gallon Reef 8/16/08
Hello All,
<Ramon.>
I have a 55 Gallon tank that I want to start growing mostly polyps, and mushrooms, maybe one or two pieces of soft coral.
<Okay>
My lighting now is 1 32w 48" single light strip with a "zoo med" Flora Sun bulb at 8500k, 1 17w 24" single light strip with a "zoo med" Reef Sun 50/50 bulb and 1 48w 24" Nova Extreme with a 10,000k bulb and a 460 actinic both T-5. My question is will this be enough light for what I want to survive and grow or do I need to get a different fixture?
<It will be a bit on the low side even for this livestock.>
I also have 1 40w 48" 18000k bulb that can replace the 8500k bulb should I replace it or just leave it alone?
<The lower Kelvin bulb will offer more “usable” light.>
I also have a dual PowerCompact light fixture that has 4x65watts with only 6700k bulbs in it.
<I would add this fixture to the tank, if it is not already. The 6700K bulbs will be yellow for the taste of most, swapping these out for a couple of 10000K and a couple of 50/50 actinic/daylight will give you an appealing look and enough light. Of course, if you do not mind the look of the 6700K bulbs, they will work fine.>
Thanks again for your help and also for the best website on the web. When I first go online your daily asked questions are the first thing I read, even before I check my mail. As always keep up the good work and I will keep reading. I'm glad help is just a "click" away thanks to you and your staff.
<Heee, thank you.>
Ramon Ortiz,
Tampa FL.
<Scott V., back in Fresno Ca. for the time being.>

Re: Lighting for 55 Gallon Reef 8/17/08
Wouldn't having the 67k bulbs on bring unwanted algae?
<Not without the other factors that fuel algae (nitrate, general excess nutrients). The “holy grail” for coral growth is still the Iwasaki 6500K bulb. This spectrum bulb is better for growing photosynthetic organisms, zooxanthellae and unwanted algae alike.>
Also, how long should I run the lights?
<Twelve hours or so for this lighting.>
Right now I have button polyps and it's 3/4" from the top should I move it down when I put the other light fixture? Also how far down should I go?
<I would, to 10” or so, move up over time if you wish.>
I can't change the 67k right now, I can only change a bulb once a month, would this be fine or just wait until I get all of them?
<You could wait with your polyps this close to your current lighting, or make the switch if you are okay with the look.>
Thanks again, Ramon Ortiz.
<Welcome, Scott V.>

Reef Lighting - Would like to purchase new bulbs 8/1/08 - need help.
Reef Lighting 8/1/08
Guys:
<And gals!>
I am rounding the corner to understanding the last frontier of reef tanks for me - since I've made most mistakes that could be made (except overstocking, compatibility and not waiting for cycling),
<The most common mistakes.>
in the last 18 months (despite months of beforehand reading), and I am now making a genuine effort to understand reef lighting, now that I think I've got my flow problems solved (the second to the last frontier for me).
I know, I know, lighting (and flow) should have been first in my understanding, but it just seemed too complex and controversial for me to tackle then. I have the time and money wasted to prove it.
<Trust me, we all have the time and money to show! Lighting and flow can be changed after the fact, tank, stand and drains should be the first consideration. These require tearing down the whole system to change. What you are going through is the natural evolution of reefkeeping.>
Now that my bulbs needs changing (overdue actually) - I've stepped up my efforts to get lighting right this time (and not just listen to the fish store people). <!> I think I understand all the facts of light (though not the nuances) and am ready to purchase new bulbs.
<OK>
However, since lighting is most expensive, I just flat out want your opinion on what to do for my specific wants and needs, tank size and inhabitants.
What lighting is best for a 26 gallon bow front reef tank?
<Depends.>
My current light is a 24" Nova Extreme T-5 HO 10,000K daylight with actinics and moonlights - but for a total of only 96 watts, daylights and actinics included!
<This ratio can be changed by swapping bulbs, if you are ok with the look.>
Now that I better understand lighting (I think), it seems to me that there is little wonder I have had very little success with most corals (when all other factors are controlled for). This seems like very minimal light - all things considered. Am I correct?
<Really depends on what you want to keep. Lack of success in such a small system starting out could very well be due to instability rather than just lighting.>
At 8 wpg - it seems that I should have at least an approximate total of 200w. Or would 6 wpg be better (150W)? I've even heard up to 10 wpg (250W)! All I know now, is I have about 3 wpg and they are old (as bulbs go).
<WPG is a poor measure of lighting. In a small tank like this you can in many cases get away with less due to the fact that your corals will inherently be close to the light.>
Welcome nuisance algae (even when all other factors are controlled for).
<Another common hazard in small systems, but large systems as well.>
I do not have room for a chiller (unless I get one of the nano hang-on-tank ones (that got surprisingly good user reviews), so it looks like metal halide is out of the question for now, at least.
<Without a chiller, likely is out of the question.>
So, I guess I'll stick with fluorescents that go in my current fixture, but I REALLY want to achieve the crisp shimmery look, with a bright white light with slight purplish color (rather than the bluer look) that I see in some tanks on the web and in stores.
<I love this effect, but have also grown tired of it in time. The overall power savings of T5s now have me enamored. LEDs provide both, with a huge upfront cost!>
I absolutely do not prefer yellows, which accentuate any flaw in the tank, such as the seemingly obligatory occasional spot of Cyano or green algae. Seems to me not only is the crisp white-purple appealing to the eye, but it also hides the drabber colors in an aquarium - something I wish to do, at least until I get a tank full of colorful corals. I've had it with the grey-greens!
I need enough watts to grow a mixed reef - but not "fry" my 2 false perculas and green chromis damsel with the intensity or heat (or my detritivores, for that matter). This is just about all that is in the tank, save a few zoo frags and a finger leather frag.
<You will not want to mix too much diversity in such confines.>
Can you tell me what 4 bulb combination to use (that can be accommodated by my current fixture), so far as the Kelvin rating, the wattage, variety, intensity and spectrum of each bulb to achieve the visual effect I want as described above? (I hear there are different ranges of blues and purples in actinic bulbs, to further confuse me.)
<If you are looking for a very blue hue you will want two true actinic 03 bulbs, peaking between 420 to 430 nanometers. The balance will be 10000K daylight bulbs. But, for more useable light for corals, I would recommend going with a single actinic, placed in the front of the fixture, with three daylight bulbs. You will actually be able to keep quite a variety of corals with this.>
Obviously, I want the best prospect of succeeding with a varied range of corals, and heat reduction without having to use a chiller, but still be able to achieve that bright white-purply shimmery effect.
<At most I would consider adding a bulb or two to your current setup.>
Is this possible with the type of bulbs my fixture takes and under which different varieties of corals can survive/thrive (softies, stonies, etc.). Your recommending a photo cycle will be helpful also.
<It is possible to achieve a happy balance, but I would not keep both soft corals and SPS/LPS in such a system. Photo period will need to be 12 hours a day.>
P.S. Just got Bob's book and love it - read it all in one night!
<A fellow addict!>
Should have had it from the beginning, instead of having stacks and stacks of internet articles.
<Some of the internet resources, particularly those from WWM are great.>
Bob covers it all in one place. Too bad he did not directly address a 26g bow front reef with a white-purplish shimmery effect. LOL
<I had the same problem years ago ? The book really is an invaluable resource.>
Thanks! Again!
<Very welcome.>
Aleasha Baltimore, MD
<Scott V., Fresno, CA.>

55 Gallon Flat Back Hex Lighting Question, Reef set-up   6/26/08
Hello!
<William>
I just recently went to a club meeting at which Bob Fenner spoke for a few hours and I must say that I learned a great deal J.
<Me too>
My question relates to a new tank that I am setting up. I purchased a 55 gallon acrylic flat back hex tank (48 long x 20 tall x 16 deep) used from a LFS used this summer (darn being a poor college student).
<Richer than I was!>
It came with a Marineland Canister Filter, Coralife 4x64W PC light, stand, and a 10 inch tall canopy. I recently purchased a Pacific Coast Imports RPS-1000 skimmer to go with a sump/refugium that I am putting together to go underneath the tank. The plan is to be patient and set up the tank when I go back to school in early August so I am gathering all the pieces for the tank before I go.
<Good>
Currently I have a 37gallon tank (30 long x 24tall x 12 deep) with about 50 pounds of live rock. I am running a Koralia nano, Koralia 2, and a powerhead from Petco for water flow. I am using a BAKPAK 2 skimmer hanging on the back of the tank. Also a 250w/ 2x24w T5's combination light by Sunlight Supply (Maristar). The tank has been running for around 10 months and going strong. I have two percula clowns, a mandarin, and a peppermint shrimp. There is also a GBTA,
<Mmm... this may eat your Mandarin>
and a purple long tentacle anemone.
<And not a good idea to mix anemones! Read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/CnidIndex2.htm>
A little bit of xenia, some Zoa's, a green/pink Yuma, and some sun coral (the non light using kind, can't remember the name for it). The GBTA has been in the tank for about 8 months and the long tentacle about 6 and a half months.
<Well... looks like they're getting along>
My question is that when I move the inhabitants to the new tank what would be the best light for the new tank?
<Posted... for a two foot depth of watter... of this length system... two smaller watt MHs of about 14K temp.>
The only thing that I would be adding to this tank is possibly a few more LPS and maybe a Kole Tang.
(would also like to know if he will be unsuitable for a 55g as I will be keeping this tank for sure for two more years at school). I am interested in something along the lines of MH as that seems to be treating the anemone's well and that is the main focus for the new tank the relationship between the Percula's and anemone's. I am planning to have about a 3 inch sandbed in the new tank as the long tentacle is buried very deeply in my 3-4 inch sandbed in the 37g tank. So I am just wondering what would be the best wattage lighting for this tank as I don't want to have too much on the tank, and I don't plan on having sps anytime soon, the anemone just fascinate me too much to get away from.
Thank you so much in advance I seem to have run into a wall on this one.
~Will Bowen
<And here: http://wetwebmedia.com/marsetupindex2.htm
the tray at bottom. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Lighting 100 gallon Reef 6/20/08
I'm upgrading to a 100 gallon aquarium ( 72 X 18.5 X 19.5 ) which will house LPS ( specifically bubble, lots of Euphyllia ) and some soft corals and Zoanthids.
For the lights I'd rather stay away from metal halide, I'm wondering if T5's or Power compacts would be enough for a tank of this nature.
<Oh yes.>
There’s a fixture I'm looking at that has 4 96 watt power compact bulbs. I'm hoping since the tank is relative shallow that this lighting will be good, but I'd much rather go a little high on lights than a little low. Thanks for you opinion.
<This fixture will work out fine. Do consider the T5’s also for the flexibility of bulbs. With the PC’s you will likely end up running two actinics and two daylights, making your lighting 50% actinic. With a T5 fixture in a comparable wattage you will be able to fine-tune the amount of actinics to get the look you want since each individual bulb is of smaller wattage and will run the span of the tank. Welcome, enjoy the new tank, Scott V.>

Coral Lighting/Reading 6/12/08
Hello!
<Hello.>
I would like to get some advice about coral lighting.
<OK>
I have 135 Gallons tank FOWLR (72"x18"x22"). I got peaceful fishes and they are reef safe. I have a castle decoration on my aquarium and around 60 lbs of live rocks and 125 lbs of live sand. I'm using 2 Fluval FX5 filter, AquaC Remora Pro protein skimmer and 4 Koralia #4 powerheads with alternating setup (2 running and 2 off then will switch every 15 min.s).
<This will wear them prematurely, startup is the hardest phase on an electrical motor. Simply pointing them at each other to create a turbulent/random flow is sufficient.>
My plan is to put 5-7 corals and anemones as addition to the decorations.
<Corals and Anemones do not mix well. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm >
I'm already looking for the lighting with daylight, actinics and moonlight fixture. What is the minimum watts I can use and what type of corals I can put?
<It is a matter of researching exactly what you wish to keep and build your lighting around the needs of the desired livestock. Anywhere from a few hundred watts on up.>
I have a pair true percula so I will need a suggestion what type of anemones with get along with them.
<Posted in the above link.>
Also will appreciate if you can list the corals that I can put on my aquarium.
<Well, without shooting at the mouth too much, nothing and anything. Obviously nothing until you get lighting, but anything once you do (with the lighting built around what you wish to keep). You are starting with a fresh slate here. Start a list with the corals you desire the most and work down researching WWM and other resources regarding compatibility. All the answers you desire are posted throughout. The biggest piece of advice I can give you here is to stick to this list, carefully planned out. Avoid impulse buys, look before you leap. You will save yourself much trouble this way.>
Thanks!
<Welcome, Scott V.>

Reef Tank Lighting Change – 06/11/08
Morning Crew!
<<Hello!>>
I have a 40 gal. reef tank currently using a Coralife 50/50 96 watt light. The tank includes:
Finger Leather
Bubble Coral
(Reef Tank Lighting Change Take Two)
Sorry for the screw up, I sent my e-mail totally unfinished.
<<No worries, I have merely appended it here>>
Anyway, back to the corals.
Finger Leather
Bubble Coral
Condylactis
<<Mmm…can spell trouble, especially in such a small volume (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/condylactis.htm)>>
Hammer Coral
Colt Coral
3" Green mushroom
2 large Mushroom polyp frags, 30 - 40 polyps each
Red Button Polyp frag
Green Button Polyp frag
Christmas Tree Worm rock
And for the non-corals
Maroon Clown
Coral beauty
<<Really needs more space than this tank provides>>
Pajama Cardinal
Lawnmower Blenny
Sally Lightfoot
Peppermint Shrimp
Snails and Hermits
As I said we currently use a Coralife 50/50 96 watt, and want to upgrade to a Coralife 50/50 192 watt we got a good deal on at our LFS.
<<Hmm, okay…though I think the first unit was probably adequate for this tank>>
Since this will be roughly twice the amount of light, I would like to know, first, if it is too much light,
<<Possibly for the Corallimorpharians and even the Plerogyra…but you may be able to position these to reduce the amount of direct light they receive>>
and if we make the switch, what is the best way to adjust the corals?
<<One method is to use a piece of plastic “egg-crate,” cut to fit on top of your tank, to support three or four layers of fiberglass screen material (also cut to fit the top of the tank). Place the egg-crate and screen material under the new lights and remove a layer every three days until all is off. You can have a look here and among the associated links for more ideas (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/acclimcoralslight.htm)>>
I've read that Mushrooms can be very sensitive to lighting change, but the Leather and Hammer both need LOTS of light.
<<Many factors can affect this (e.g. – species, collection location, water quality/clarity, placement in the tank, etc.), but generally speaking yes, the Corallimorphs will fare well (as will that Bubble Coral) and show better color (many have a tendency to turn “brown” under lighting that is too intense) under less illumination than the other species you listed. Even so, in this 40g tank the single 96w bulb was probably fine…or you could simply have exchanged the 50/50 bulb for an “all 10K” bulb and been fine as well>>
Please give me some pointers if you could.
<<Hope I have!>>
Much appreciated!
Amanda
<<Happy to share. Eric Russell>>

Coral lighting 06/06/2008
Hello everyone,
<<Hello Marc, Andrew this afternoon>>
I appreciate all your help. I've had a lot of questions, here at the beginning of my saltwater hobby, but I just want to get things right the first time. I have already asked before about corals that are compatible with my light. I have a 75 gallon tank, with a Coralife compact fluorescent with 2 65 watt bulbs. And I was told mushrooms, polyps, Xenia, and some leathers. I'm really just looking to do mushrooms and a toadstool leather. Is this light sufficient, or will it just "get me by". What ever I go with, I really want it to thrive. Thanks again for your help.
<<To be honest, its sounds fine to me. I would not say the leather will "thrive", however, its "acceptable" lighting.>>
Marc
<<Thanks for the questions, A Nixon>>

Lighting, reef  5/3/08
Hi everyone,
<Marc.>
I have doing a lot of research on your website, and it has helped me out a lot.
<Great!>
I have been reading up on lighting and I still can't find a straight answer to my question. I have a 75 gallon fowler tank, and I'm starting to look into doing some corals. I have been careful not to add any fish to the aquarium that are not compatible.
<It is a good practice to research and plan stocking.>
The tank is still new, about 8 weeks, and the livestock seems to be doing well, now that I fixed the problem of fish jumping out of the tank!
<Oops!>
Currently I have a Coralife PC with two 65 watt 10,000k bulbs. I am looking to replace the light, even for just looks alone, but I figured, if I'm going to switch, I should look into to getting a light for corals now.
<More planning ahead, awesome!>
I was really hoping to get either a PC fixture with 4 65watt 10'000k bulbs, or a T5 fixture with 4 55 watt HO bulbs. Are either of this adequate for any corals, and if so, which ones?
<Lower light corals such as zoos, most soft corals and many LPS will work with this lighting.>
And how about for anemones?
<No, you will need about twice this amount of light, more for some species. Even with adequate lighting it is a good idea to skip the anemone unless you want a tank nearly dedicated to one.>
That is the other route I was looking to take. And how long should I wait to add corals or anemones if I have the right light? Or am I all set now that the water quality is where it should be?
<I will have to take your word the water quality is good. The another big factor with a newer tank is stability. Assuming both these are there you will be ready to start adding corals if you wish, do so slowly.>
Thanks
Marc
<Welcome, good luck, Scott V.>

Re: Lighting 5/4/08
Thanks for your help.
<Welcome.>
After receiving that information I've decided to wait and see if I'm going to want to do any stony corals that I would just have to replace the light again anyway. In the interim though, is the light I have now ( the Coralife with just two 65 watt bulbs) enough light for live rock, and will it still produce coralline algae?
<The light will be fine for coralline algae and the live rock.>
Also, are there any corals that can live in this light, if so which ones, and would these corals, if any, be able to survive if I end up switching to metal halides in the future?
<Any of the corals mentioned in our previous correspondence will work and make the switch fine with careful placement and acclimation.>
Thanks
Marc
<Welcome, have fun, Scott V.>

Reef Lighting 4/26/08
My head is spinning trying to make sense of lighting ... I have a 95 gallon wave aquarium (very similar to the standard 90 gallon). I am looking at a fixture which has 2 x 150 watt HQI's and 4 54 watt
T5 HO's for accent lighting along with some lunar lights.
<A nice combo.>
Would this be sufficient to house softies, LPS, SPS and clams if placement is done carefully.
<Yes, with careful placement as mentioned.>
The reason I'm looking at this fixture is I'm really trying to cut down on the amount of heat so I can avoid a chiller.
<I hear you, a constant battle to avoid a chiller!>
Thanks for any info
Tim
<This combo will work out fine. Keep in mind the 10000K bulbs will give you more usable light out of these 150’s than the higher K bulbs, this can make a huge difference in success with this lighting. Welcome, Scott V.>

Coral Glue And Coral Light Absorption (Photoperiod) – 04/12/08
Awhile ago I got a couple of corals that came with a silicone type glue that mounted them to the rock. At the time, I didn't think it would be so good and don't recall where I got these corals. This glue bonds to rock just by placing it on top of it. I have tried to locate this material at all the tropical shops in my area but no one carries it or knows what it is. It is not "super glue" or putty - it stays flexible and doesn't need to be reapplied. Can you help? What is it and where can I get it?
<<I can only guess, but there are some better “underwater epoxies” that remain flexible. These products form a molecular bond that is quite tenacious. They’re quite pricey too…at around $50 per quart>>
On the coral's light absorption - how many hours of light do they really need daily using optimum lighting?
<<”Optimum lighting” will vary by species…but lighting in the tropics where most all specimens we strive to keep hail from averages a bit more than 12-hours per day…and at an intensity we can only dream of replicating>>
Does it vary by type of coral?
<<Indeed>>
I have polyp types, leathers, frogspawns, elegance and coral plates. Thank you.
<<I suggest you provide a lighting period of somewhere between 10 and 14 hours per day…depending on quality/intensity of the lighting. EricR>>

Re: Setting Up 110 Gallon Reef System... Why not read?  03/22/2008
Hello Again Crew,
Mystery man, Ron here again.
<<Hello again, Andrew today>>
I have attached your last reply to me. You have addressed all of my concerns, so far. I hope this is the last one???
<<Ask as many as you like>>
Here's my question for you. I have decided not to hold off on getting my lighting system. The tank is a 110 gallon 48 Lx 18 W x 30 D. It is going to be a reef system with no SPS. I do want to be able to keep Clams, LPS, soft corals and of course inverts..
<<Sounds good>>
Now, I needed your suggestions. I have looked at the Outer Orbit HQI + HO T 5, 2 x 150 10K HQI, 4 x 54 T 5 actinic, 18 lunar and the Obit HQI-Metal Halide & Actinic Power Compact 2 x 150 10K HQI , 2 x 130CP actinic, 6 lunar lights. Would either of these supply enough light and do I not need to use Halides at all? I want a nice looking system when the lights are on at a reasonable price. I am not stuck on the Orbit brand, so if there is some other brand you prefer, let me know.
<<With the depth of your tank, 30 inches, i think it would be best to go with a halide system if you want good light penetration down to the bottom of the tank. Something like a 2 x 250w or even 2 x 400w system would be a good choice in my opinion as depending on the type of clam you want, some prefer to placed on the bottom of the tank..>>
The whole crew has been great at answering my questions and in record time.
Thank Again, Ron
<<Thanks for the questions, hope this helps. A Nixon>>

Lighting? 3/10/08
I have a 90 gallon marine aquarium that is 25 inches tall. Is four 54 watt HO T-5 bulbs enough light for this tank with low light corals and an anemone?
<This will be a little low for the anemone, I would add another two or more bulbs in the daylight (10K) spectrum for the lower light anemones, some will require the leap to metal halides. You will need to research the specific species of anemone you want to keep for its lighting requirements and compatibility with whichever corals you want to keep with it, generally not a good idea to mix.>
If not, what is your suggestions for additional light? Tanks a lot!
<Welcome, happy reefing, Scott V.>

Lighting... 75 reef...  03/09/2008
Hi crew,
<<Hello Ron, Andrew today>>
my question is about getting the most bang for my buck when it comes to lighting. My tank is a 75 gallon ,with protein skimmer, refugium,
and live rock. The fish that occupy the tank are a potters angel, leopard wrasse, yellow tang, two percula clowns, and two Bubbletip anemones that have divided several times. My current lighting is a four bulb t5 system. I was considering increasing the light for the anemones, and would like know if it would be a good idea to go with metal halide lights or a six bulb t5 lighting system some of my concern is overheating. Thanks Ron
<<The answer, in my opinion, would be to upgrade to either 150w or even 250w metal halide unit. This will remove near enough all limitations on stocking capabilities. Heat wise, a simple clip on fan from a DIY store would suffice, blowing across the water surface.>>
<<Hope this helps. A Nixon>>

Thanks/ Lighting/ ID 2/29/08
Hello Crew-
<Esther...>
As I approach the one year anniversary of very first marine tank I would like to thank you for providing so much information on your site; which has led to my success in this hobby! My fish are waving their fins in cheers as well, as they benefit the most I think!
<You're all welcome>
Setup/ Specs: 75 gallon (48 x 18 x 21), Aqua C Remora Pro with Mag pump, 90 lbs. live rock, 3 power heads for water movement, and Corallife PC 260W lighting fixture. Ammonia: 0, Nitrate: 0, Nitrite: 0, dKH: 11.8, Calcium: 440.
Aside from the hitchhiker Zoanthids, (and the ID below) I am just starting into corals and only have a Candy Cane coral right now. But as it is time to change my light bulbs again, I started thinking that at $30 each bulb for 4 bulbs every six months it is, in the long run, not very economical and that there better options out there. I have been looking into T5 lighting (I am not able to do MH) but want to know if you really don't need to change the bulbs as often?
<Correct>
So I have been looking at the Nova Extreme and the Nova Extreme Pro. The Pro has 6 x 54W, but with individual reflectors, and the other has 8 x 54W but with a single parabolic reflector. After some reading, I think that the individual reflectors are the better choice because of the 'light absorption back into the bulb loss' is less with the individual reflectors. Thoughts on this?
<This is also so>
My wish list for future corals would be: Blastomussa, Cynarina or Lobophyllia, and a plate Montipora; could these be kept under either of the above lighting?
<Yes>
Lastly, I have a small colony of hitchhikers I can't seem to identify and hoping you might have a clue. They are about 1/8" in diameter and after I noticed the first one, (about 4 months after getting that piece of rock), they have started multiplying. I've included (for hopes of an easier ID for you) a shot of a grouping of them, as well as the mouth and a skeletal make-up. I would love to know what they are so I can record it in my saltwater log.
Thanks again!
Esther
<Are stony corals... scleractinians... I think a Caryophylliid... testimony to your good care here. Bob Fenner>

Reef Lighting 2/28/08
Evening Crew,
<Good morning here.>
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience with all of us.
<You're welcome.>
You all were of great help as I selected my pumps and skimmer. I went with an Iwaki MD-40rxlt for my closed loop, an Eheim 1262 for my sump and the EuroReef RS-100 skimmer. I'm getting to ready fill with water and LR and want to start preparing to upgrade the current 48" Top Aquaria Series light that contains 3 10k 36w bulbs.
I have an 80gl bowfront tank in which I plan on stocking with a combination of LPS (Frogspawn, Hammer Coral) and SPS (Montipora capricornis, Acropora), Zoanthids, a BTA,
<Would not put the BTA in a coral system.>
xenia, leathers and a clam or 2. I've tried to read up on lighting requirements but am just not sure which way to head. All the lighting options and wattage ratings are confusing me. Can you simplify the pros/cons of MH vs. T5? If I go T5, will 6 54w bulbs be enough? If I go with MW, will 2 150w with T5 actinics be enough? I'm hoping to just make one purchase and not have to upgrade in a year.
My only current experience with lighting is> currently a 24" Corallife pc with actinics and lunar LEDs on my 20gl. I really enjoy the variable lighting from dusk to dawn and the faint lighting in the evening from the LEDs. However, I've been considering upgrading the 20gl as well so I can add a wider variety of corals.
<Do read here and linked files above. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marlgtganthony.htm
Thanks in advance.
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>

Reef Lighting, metal halide and livestock requirements  2/19/08
Hi,
<Hi Jay>
Great website and I have enjoyed researching on it.
<Thank you.>
I have a quick question on a newly acquired system that I got from a friend of mine that was moving.
It is a standard 75g, 48Lx18Wx20H. It has a dual Hamilton ReefStar unit with two 150w HQI DE 14K bulbs in a wood canopy (2 fans, one pulling and one pushing). The protective glass under the bulbs is about 10" from the waters surface. It also has a retro unit consisting of 2-96w PC bulbs mounted in the top of the hood, but they are about 12" from the surface, hence I'm thinking the PC's are not going to be much benefit being so far up.
<Not too much with a 20" deep tank. Can you lower the hood anyway?>
My question is on livestock with the dual 150w HQI's: Would a couple of blue/green Crocea Clams/ Blue Maximas and a few SPS do well in the middle to upper part of this tank? I also plan on having some Zoanthids, Ricordea, and LPS like Frogspawn, Hammer, and Acans. It would be a slightly mixed reef, with less emphasis on the clams and SPS, maybe 1-2 clams and 5-8 SPS. Thanks for your great work and help.
<Clams seem to prefer being on the bottom, preferably on a sandy substrate. In this regard, considering the depth of your tank and lighting placement, I'd go with either Derasa or Squamosa Clams which do not require the lighting intensity that the Maximas do. Any SPS should be kept in the upper third of the tank. Read here for more info on clams. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/Clam_care/Clam_care.htm
James (Salty Dog)>
Jay

Lighting a 65 Gallon Reef 2/13/08
Hello,
I've found your website very helpful for many things, and have searched it over and found many conflicting opinions on lighting.
<Lighting a reef has personal preference as a component, hence the differing opinions.>
I realize that there is no "right" answer, but I was looking for an opinion on this specific tank. I plan on setting up a 65 gallon tank with sump, skimmer, approximately 100 pounds of liverock and a 4 inch sandbed.
<Sounds like a nice setup.>
Right now I have mostly LPS and some soft corals in a smaller tank, but in the new setup I would like to experiment with some Montipora and clams. A lot of the articles seem to prefer VHO, HO etc. fluorescent lighting, but I worry about the light penetration from these lights in a 24" deep tank.
<With enough bulbs fluorescents will work fine. Perhaps consider a T5 fixture with six or so 39W bulbs.>
Would metal halides be my best bet?
<It is definitely a viable option.>
If so, would a 250 Watt HQI IceCap Pendant be sufficient?
<Definitely, the problem is that these tanks generally have a plastic center brace. If it does you will likely want two Halides to avoid casting an unsightly shadow in the tank. In this case I recommend two 150W units. If you have no center brace one 250 will be perfect. The center brace will not be an issue with fluorescents.>
With no hood on the tank, would heat buildup be an issue if hung approx. 12" off the surface?
<You will have more heat imparted into the water with halides, but you can help this out with a fan blowing between the surface of the water and the light. You may need a chiller depending on the ambient temperature in your area and your other equipment; it is possible you may need one anyway without the halide.>
What bulb would you recommend?
<Again, this is greatly personal preference. I like the 10K offerings out there, they give more usable light for your money spent on electricity without looking too yellow for my taste.>
Thank you.
<Welcome, happy reefing, Scott V.>

Re: Need Lighting Help... reef  01/25/2008
Hi Andrew,
<<Tiffany...>>
Thank you very much for the timely response. I have been contemplating between two lighting systems.... the first obviously has more wattage and is a big more expensive, but the second one has built in timers which I thought was a great feature. Both have individual
reflectors which I thought would be good for the light intensity. Any opinions or have you heard anything on either of these fixtures?
48" Nova Extreme Pro 6x54watt --> 359.00
48 inch Current USA SunDial T5 HO 4x54W w/ Timers & LED --> 269.99
<<Both are good lighting fixtures. My preference would be the Nova extreme out of the two, I feel this is a very good choice although, yes, you would have to buy timers too. The Sundial, although cheap is 100w less and I feel the extra 100w form the Nova pretty much covers you in lighting requirements to keep a huge selection of coral in the tank>>
Thanks! Tiffany
<<Thanks for the feedback, reply.. A Nixon>>

Lighting Overkill? 1/23/08
I currently have a 65 gallon, 36x18x24, I already have 2 150W halides with 20K radium bulbs. I would like to upgrade to a system that has 2 250W 10K halides with 4 T5 actinics. This would give me around 656W, but that is over 10 watts a gallon. I plan on housing more sps and clams in the future. Should I stick with this idea or go with a less wattage of halide, like 2 175W mogul with T5's.
<I would be inclined to stay with your current fixture with bulbs in a better (10K) spectrum.>
I currently have DE bulbs and the lighting in question has DE bulbs. I currently have just polyps, some micromussa, a tort, purple fuzzy and a BTA. Would like clams to live in the tank, 2 died under the 150W's.
<Not enough “usable” light with the 20K.>
I'm having a big problem deciding. Thanks for your patience. Also, no heat issues right now, but will I have serious heat issues if I do go with the 250's,
<Quite possible.>
Thanks
<You will realize a large increase in light your corals/clams can use with the simple switch to a lower wattage bulb. Two 250W would be overkill in my opinion considering it is a three foot tank and the lights will overlap quite a bit. The 175W would be fine, but again different bulbs in the 150W fixture would be the way to go considering the lighting will overlap. Check out the link below, noting the difference in PPFD (Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density; what your corals use) between the 10K and 20K bulbs. Welcome, hope this helps you decide, Scott V.>
 
Best Lighting? 1/21/08
Hello,
<Hello Tom.>
I have a four year old 20 gallon setup with the following livestock:
maroon clown
yellow-tailed blue damsel
coral banded shrimp
feather duster
star polyps
torch coral
birdsnest
xenia
zoanthids
Palythoa
2 acropora (ora roscoe and a brown one received at MACNA this year)
Pavona
snails (Cerith, margarita, and Nassarius)
Oxypora (frag 1 inch)
<Wow, one busy 20 gal.>
Hardware:
24" Coralife PC (one 65watt 10,000K and one 65watt 50/50)
Hydor Koralia #1
Sea Clone 100 (I modified it to be a needle wheel and adjusted the collection cup.)
I would like to purchase a HQI light for my tank, so I can add more SPS and get the best color out of them but I do not want a chiller and can not hang the light from the ceiling (because I rent). I would like to know in your opinion what would be the best possible fixture for me? I was looking at the 24" SunPod with a 14K 150 watt bulb but it would have to sit on the mounting pegs it comes with and I did not want to "cook" my tank. Is there other options for me to get the best lighting or should I stick with what I have do to my tank volume?
<Depending on the ambient temperature you may be able to run the MH, but there is always the chance this will push you into needing a chiller, especially on such a small system. I would either stick with what you have (it is working, right?) or look into some of the T5 fixtures out there if you want more intensity from your light. The PCs you have can sustain what you list, of course with the SPS closer to the light.>
I appreciate your help!
Thank you,
Tom
(enclosed is a picture of my current setup as of today 1/22/2008)
<Welcome, this looks like a nice system, you may need more room as everything grows! I hope this helps you decide, good luck, Scott V.>

Reef Lighting Upgrade…Do I need It? – 01/11/08
I have a 75 gallon reef system which houses a variety of LPS, soft corals and Zoanthids.
<<Okay>>
I currently have two 175 watt 15000K metal halides providing the light for this setup.
<<I see>>
While this, to me, seems more than sufficient,
<<Agreed>>
I was recently tempted by an advertisement for an Odyssea Metal Halide system with two 250 watt HQI's and four 65 watt compact fluorescents with lunar LED's all for a very modest price.
<<Mmm, more light than you need I suspect…and do be aware, you get what you pay for…>>
The metal halides I currently use are nothing special, a retro kit I got online,
<<Nothing wrong with retro kits…>>
so I assume I won't be deviating too far from where I am currently regarding quality.
<<Not necessarily… Personally, I am leery of this product/vendor>>
Unfortunately, my current budget wouldn't allow a "name brand" higher quality lighting setup.
<<Best to stick with DIY fixtures built from “retro” kits then…in my opinion. You “can” go too cheap…>>
My main question is whether or not a 760 Watt lighting package can be maintained in a tank such as mine or will this level of lighting do more harm than good to my coral inhabitants?
<<I don’t think you need it. If you have a desire for more intensity/PAR…this can easily be attained by replacing the 15000K lamps with lamps of a lower Kelvin. If you’re worried about losing that “blue” look, spend those bucks on some T5 fixtures with Actinic lamps to add to the existing lighting>>
My tank is an open top and, without running fans, it stays between 77 and 80 degrees.
<<Going to a higher wattage MH bulb may change this>>
How much temperature increase should I expect if I were to upgrade?
<<Hard to say… Will depend much on currently airflow, ambient room temperature…>>
Thanks for your insight and advice.
<<Hope it’s been of use. Regards, EricR>>

Re: Reef Lighting Upgrade...Do I need It? - 01/12/08
As always, thanks for the fast response.
<<Quite welcome>>
I realize that 760 watts is overkill for my tank,
<<Indeed>>
but do you feel it would harm the inhabitants, or is it simply more light than I need?
<<More than you need… The current inhabitants could likely be acclimated to more light…but that doesn’t mean they would “prosper” under more light than they need/can make use of. It is not unusual for deeper water specimens (Corallimorphs, some LPS species, etc.) to lose color/turn brown under lighting that is too intense/more intense than that in their natural surrounds>>
Thanks again for your help!
<<Cheers… EricR>>

Reef Lighting 1/10/08
Hello,
<Hi Renee>
Again, I find myself confused about something and needing a steer or two in the proper direction.
<We can do that.>
I have a 75 gallon Tru Vu Aquarium (4' long...standard sized) with an overflow built down the center (wrong spot for an overflow, IMHO, but it works for me), and the first question is if the lighting is sufficient. I have a wet/dry, Bak Pak skimmer, heaters and various powerheads in the tank, as well as a hood and stand.
On that tank, I have 2 50/50 96 watt CF 34" bulbs staggered. So, I'm not sure if each bulb contains 192 watts or 96 watts.
<Each lamp is 96 watts for a total wattage of 192.>
What I grow in there are Colt, polyps, mushrooms and Condys.
<No where near enough light to satisfy a Condy, and may not be enough for the Colt Coral.>
In my next tank, a 29 gallon standard sized aquarium, I have no lighting as of yet. What will go in there is almost anything I can put in. I have an opportunity for a 150 watt HQI Pendant. I would add to that a T5 strip with one blue one white, if necessary. What kinds of corals would I be limited to if I go with this setup? Can I put a BTA in there and would it be sufficient lighting for it?
<A 150 watt HQI would allow you to grow most anything. The 29 is too small for a BTA, water parameters have a better chance of changing in smaller tanks, something the anemones don't tolerate too well. As for the strip light, it would just be in the way and isn't really necessary with the 150 watt HQI. My choice here would be to go with a 14K lamp.>
Last, but not least, I have a 25 tall Eclipse 2 converted system. It has a compact fluorescent double white bulb in front, and a set of T5s in the center, by Corallife, one white, one blue and I have one small CF daylight lamp on the side of it aimed at my BTA which lives in there. I wonder, is that enough light or should I amp that up? Do you have any suggestions as to the type I should place on there or should I just put that BTA into the 29 when it gets going? It is healthy, not bleached at this time.
I am sorry for such stupid questions. I am not only a novice, but being a woman, I don't deal with lighting very often. In freshwater systems, it's so much simpler.:)
Renee, I'd like you to read these links and related articles contained within. This will help you understand reef lighting requirements and also the needs/systems for keeping anemones. And, being a woman has nothing to do with succeeding in this hobby.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marlgtganthony.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm>
I thank you ahead of time for your expertise.
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Thank you,
Renee

New Setup, Marine Lighting 1/10/08
Hi,
<Hello>
I have another question: I am setting up me new 150G tank (60x24x24) and I am trying to figure out what type of light would work best for me. I have a very good water flow (20 times+) and two 90G refugia for nutrient transport and food generation so I hope that I don't need to go crazy with light.
<Depends on what you want to keep.>
I am considering two options:
1. 432W (8x54W bulbs) Current USA Nova Extreme T5 HO fixture (or similar
T5 HO system)
2. 3 x 175W MH reflectors.
I am going to start slow with adding livestock but will probably end up with a small number of fish and reef garden so basically I would like to be able to grow most things.
<The first option will be fine for most corals, but if you want to keep really light demanding corals the MHs will be necessary.>
Also, I would like to minimize the electricity consumption and would like to have a system that has most flexibility to modify as needed (e.g. adding more light bulbs as the tank matures and the light needs increase).
<Either setups should be all you would ever need.>
Could you please advise if Option #1 would be sufficient?
<Depends on the specific corals you wish to keep, most would do fine under either setup.
See these links for more http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/lighting/index.htm , http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/lighting/fixtures.htm , and http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marlgtganthony.htm .>
Thanks again,
John.
<Welcome>
<Chris>

Reef Lighting/Selection 1/1/08
Hello! Happy Holidays!
<And to you my friend.>
I first wanted to thank "the crew" for all the great hours of reading, sound advice and establishing the trust you have from the readers, myself specifically. Your website is in the first slot on my Favorites link on my computer. It's been said so many times, but nonetheless, you guys are great and your advice is invaluable.
<Well thank you!>
Okay, now to the situation at hand. I came home from walking my dog yesterday and instantly could smell burned plastic or rubber or something of the sort-very distinctive smell. I immediately ran to my aquarium and saw that half of my lighting system was dark. I don't know anything about electronics, but I think it's toast. It was a 6X96 watt PC unit. I wanted to upgrade anyway, and now my hand has been forced (which is okay).
<Mmm, were the cooling fans operative?>
It is a 72", 125 gallon reef aquarium that houses a healthy load of fishes (yes, maybe a little overloaded and therefore, not optimally healthy, which is why I hesitate to list the inhabitants-please don't yell at me, I don't think it's terribly so) as well as lightly stocked LPS and SPS corals that are all doing very well. They consist of 2 growing Montipora frags which I've been surprised to say have flourished in this "lesser" Power Compact Fluorescent climate,
<Mmm, 600 watts of PC lighting is not all that bad for your shallow tank.>
a Caulastrea Furcata colony, an Acanthastrea colony as well as some unidentified corals imbedded in my live rock (I believe one type has been described as a "cup" coral, whatever that means and the other type appears to be a kind of colonial SPS or LPS coral). There is also a hitchhiker anemone which I've found described as a Curly Q Anemone. Since the "burnout" has occurred (and it is the unit that is fried, not the lamps), I've grouped the peaceful corals somewhat closely and have used my only backup to light them, which is a hang on 150 watt MH unit. I need to quickly purchase a new system, but am somewhat limited financially.
<Have you contacted the manufacturer about the problem. If you haven't had the light very long, most will take care of the problem.>
Around $700 is probably my maximum. I also have the added issue of probably not being able to hang lights since I live with my parents and my dad probably will not let me.
<If you have a wood canopy, a retrofit system is the least expensive.>
I've come up with a few options that I want to run by you and hope to get a clear ranking or just ones that you think should be good and ones to avoid as well as requesting any additional suggestions. I would like to support high lighting required inhabitants including SPS and clams. Okay, here are ones that I've found to both be in my price range and should be a good upgrade to what I had before. I will list and link so you can see them in case you are not familiar. The first seems too good to be true, but if it works well, should bathe all inhabitants in tons of light:
3X250 watt metal halide, 4X96 Watt PC with 8 lunar lights and electronic ballasts from Aqua Trader.
http://www.aquatraders.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=332
<My dealer tried one of their PC systems and thought they were of good quality, no experience with the MH's though. You are correct in saying "too good to be true".
Does sound like too much for the money. You may want to contact Aqua Trader and ask about the warranty. Another option, post this question on one of the salt water forums.
We had one but I do not see the link anymore on our homepage.>
This one is not nearly as powerful and not as much wattage, but from an established and well known company (but also the company that sold me the PC system that just burned out, not that I fault them.
72 inch Current USA SunPod 3x150W 14K HQI-MH w/ 24 Lunar Lights
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~CU01066.html
<I have a Current PC system on a tank, and have had no problems with it in two years.
On another note, Marine Depot is a respected company and I doubt they would handle a product that has a problem reputation.>
Next is more powerful and looks like a great option, but I just haven't heard anything about them.
6 Ft. Captive Sun Deluxe Hood Lighting System-3X175 Watt MH+2X160W VHO (bulbs not included)
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~CP4116.html
<Again, as above. Tell you what I'll do...I'll contact Marine Depot and get some info for you and get it back to you in a day or two.>
I'm also considering the following due to all the positives I've heard about T5 lighting, but not sure that it would be sufficient for the inhabitants that I would like to keep. The bulbs seem to have individually wrapped reflectors which I've read makes all the difference.
72" Current USA 12X39W Nova Extreme Pro T5HO 6-10K/6-460nm Actinics
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~SearchStr~pro~action~view~idProdu
ct~CU01082~idCategory~FILTFIT5T7~category~72_inch_Current_USA_12x39W_Nov
a_Extreme_Pro_T5HO_6_10k_6_460nm_Actinics_Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies_Li
ghting_Fixtures_T5_Lighting_72in_Units~vendor~.html
<For what you want to keep, I'd be safe and go with MH or HQI lighting. Clams seem to do better under this type lighting.>
I know you guys don't always like recommending products and are not always familiar with the overwhelming amount of products on the market, I'd just like a clear opinion from an expert (I know you guys are too modest to consider yourselves "expert", but to me, you all clearly are, so just accept the positive title:-)) about what they (you) would do if you were in my place. Lighting is such an important aspect of reef keeping and SO expensive to someone who is lower middle class at best that I just want to make the best decision possible. I've worked so hard to improve my water quality and flow (which is why I think my Monti's are doing so well even in the lesser light-I've got great flow now after adding over time), that this lighting issue may very well be the difference in having a really nice reef tank or one that still looks a bit amateur...or at least can't house some of the more advanced corals I'd like to try. Of course lighting doesn't determine your aquatic abilities. I consider myself an intermediate aquarist who's been keeping reef tanks for 5-7 years and I feel like making this tank successful will be a huge step for me. I appreciate your consideration and the time you've taken to read this long query regardless of the outcome. Thanks for everything you do.
<You certainly are on the right track. I'd be comfortable with either of the two products you list from Marine Depot.>
Please add any suggestions for lighting units I have not listed that you think might fit both my needs and budget.
<If you have a wood canopy, consider the PFO retro systems from Premium Aquatics, is what I use and a very well made product.>
As a side note, I'm writing this from my work email address, can you send the response to my personal address, please?
<Not a problem.>
Thanks so, so much!
<You're welcome Nicholas. James (Salty Dog)>
Nicholas Sadaka

Re: Reef Lighting/Selection 1/2/08
Thanks so much, James, I really appreciate the response!
<You're welcome, Nick.>
Unfortunately, I don't have a wood canopy, which stinks because I would certainly go the retrofit route if I did. Your question about the cooling fans being operable is a good one and one that I just couldn't say for sure. They've always been so quiet that I probably wouldn't be able to tell on an average day without really tuning into it. Let's just say that I hadn't noticed that they were not working, but it's certainly possible.
<The fan(s) also need to be cleaned periodically, do mine twice a year.>
I also don't know ANYTHING at all about electronics, so I'm not even sure if it was something with the ballasts or the wiring or what, but it certainly gave off a very strong odor and had my parents running around looking for a fire! Now, after saying that, let me just say that I do believe that Current is a great company and if I did not, I would never consider getting another unit from them. I've had PC lights from them that I got when I started in the hobby that are still to this day running well, so, I hope anyone reading this did not take my story as a slight against Current at all.
<No worries here, we like to hear about problems people have with components, keeps fellow aquarists aware of potential problems with such.>
I haven't contacted Current about the light (it's probably about 4 years old), but that's more because I really want the upgrade now, with the ability to keep Acropora and clams and such.
<Four years old, without cleaning the fans, I'm pretty sure they were not working properly.>
I was planning on doing that within the next year anyway, so now is as good a time as any. I certainly would love to take you up on your offer to talk to Marine Depot on my behalf, and I appreciate that immensely. That is very kind of you and I look forward to hearing your response!
<Sent off a message this afternoon, should hear from them sometime tomorrow and will forward to you.>
If you get busy and don't have a chance to get to contact them, that's okay too, I'll just go with one of the two MH systems from Marine Depot (and you're right, Marine Depot is a great company and I buy from them constantly and have NEVER had a problem).
<Good to hear.>
I probably have to make a decision in the next couple of days so the tank can be lit again, so I look forward to hearing from you if you speak with them, but again, if you can't, that's okay too. Thanks again for your response. I always feel like I got a chance to talk to someone we look up to in the aquarium hobby when I get a response from one of you guys! Thanks again.
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>

Re: Reef Lighting/Selection 1/2/08
<Nick, did receive a reply from August at Marine Depot. Below are the contents of his email. Hope this helps you. James (Salty Dog)>
<<Hello,
Thanks for the email. Since the maximum amount is $700, the closest metal halide with legs in that price range is the Current USA SunPod. Here is the quick link http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~CU01066.html. This is a really good product. It comes with LED lights for moon lighting and to slowly acclimate the tank everyday. It comes with 3 150W bulbs. Everything is included. For a shallow water tank, T5’s can also be used. The only issue is the length of the bulbs. The biggest we have is 48” inches. So unless 2 x 36” inch lights can be used, the only option is the metal halide. If you have any other questions, please feel more than welcome to contact us. Take care!>>

Re: Reef Lighting/Selection 1/3/08
Again, James, thanks so much. I sincerely appreciate all of your effort on my behalf. Through reading the daily questions and reading through the content on WWM, you eventually get a feel for the personalities of the experts. That being said, I really feel like you are a good, stand up guy and a valuable asset to the hobby. If this is posted,
<All queries are posted in the dailies.>
some people are going to read and say, "boy, that guy's kissing some butt", but the bottom line is that I have nothing to gain by sharing this opinion and if I did not truly feel this way, I'd just keep my mouth shut. Everyone really needs to realize and understand the service WWM is doing by providing this information free of charge. That's rare and special and without speaking for anyone else, greatly appreciated by me. I genuinely extend this sentiment to the whole crew and request that the occasional disgruntled aquarist that writes in keeps this in mind before attacking a helping hand.
<Well said.>
No one is right all of the time, but the ability to share unselfishly separates the masses. Okay, don't want to get too wordy and mushy, just want to say "thank you" one last time!
<Nick, thank you so much for the kind words. Nobody on the crew is "kissing butt".
As aquarists with years of combined experience (+30 for me), our goal is to help others avoid mistakes we have made in our learning process. When I started in this hobby, there were no forums and such you could go to, in fact it would have been difficult since there was no internet back then. All we could rely on was a good book or two, but the books back then rarely gave any info as to requirements/compatibility etc. You pretty much rode the horse alone. Good luck to you in this hobby, and I'd like to thank you for doing such a fine job in writing. It is rare that I do not have to edit queries as to caps, punctuation, etc.
James (Salty Dog)>

Re: Reef Lighting/Selection   1/3/08
Bob,
Below is an email I just received from Marine Depot, is from Keith MacNeil. It is in regard to the Reef Lighting/Selection query. Thought you may want to post his email on the dailies.
Regards,
James
<Will do. Thank you James. BobF>
Hey James,
Thank you for inquiring about these fixtures. I was looking over our emails and noticed this one wasn't quite answered the way I think you were looking for. I believe you are looking for more of a quality issue than alternatives.
The CurrentUSA fixtures have been getting good reviews. I have one of their metal halide fixtures that has been running flawlessly over the last 2+ years. CurrentUSA offers a 1 year warranty on their fixtures that would be handled by the place of purchase. One of the nice features are the internal ballasts for their 150 watt units.
The Captive Sun fixtures are custom made exclusively for Marine Depot. These have been being made for us for quite some time now with very few problems. Any issues that have come up have been resolved very quickly. Again warranty issues are handle by Marine Depot. I have talked with people that have been using their fixtures for over 5 years with no issues at all.
I hope that helps out some and I apologize if the first email was not what you were expecting.

Lighting Query From Wet Web Media (Thread:1103937)
Hello,
Thanks for the email. Since the maximum amount is $700, the closes metal halide with legs in that price range is the Current USA SunPod. Here is the quick link http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~CU01066.html. This is a really good product. It comes with LED lights for moon lighting and to slowly acclimate the tank everyday. It comes with 3 150W bulbs. Everything is included. For a shallow water tank, T5’s can also be used. The only issue is the length of the bulbs. The biggest we have is 48” inches. So unless 2 x 36” inch lights can be used, the only option is the metal halide. If you have any other questions, please feel more than welcome to contact us. Take care!
Thank you for choosing Marine Depot. We are always available for any support that you may need.
August Sicat
Marine Depot Customer Service
www.MarineDepot.com
Phone: (714)385-0080
Fax: (714)385-0180
Hi gang. I've got a query from a gent inquiring about two different lighting systems you sell. I'm not familiar with their MH systems. Can you help me out. He seems to be concerned about quality/longevity.
I'll post the query with my notes in carets below. I did send the query but will reply to him with your input.
Thanks much,
James Gasta (Salty Dog)
Wet Web Media

Re: Reef Lighting/Selection...Queriors Input... cave canem  1/3/08
Dear Crew,
<Hello>
I saw the messages between poster/Salty Dog re the Aquatraders.com 72" 3x250W MH system and wanted to provide him/her with some info.
I purchased the 48" 2x 250W MH/4x65W PC system for $379 and am very pleased. It is made by Odyssea. So far, it works well, the fan is quiet, it runs cool and, most of all, my corals are very happy under it.
Before I purchased, I read about 10,000 posts
<Naw, c'mon.>
on the several threads on reefcentral.com re: the experiences of hobbyists with the MH Odyssea fixture. Almost all posters that I read have been very pleased and feel that the fixture is an exceptional deal.
<I thank you for this, will post for others to read. James (Salty Dog)>

Re: Reef Lighting/Selection...Querier's Input 1/4/08
James,
<Andrew>
Well, it was probably like 9,990 posts. In all seriousness, I urge anyone interested in the Odyssea MH fixture to set aside about 30 hours and review the 1 billion-post threads on the fixture in reefcentral.com
<Again, thank you for your input. James (Salty Dog)>

Re: Reef Lighting/Selection Query. More re Above Water Photography   1/5/08
Boy did I open a can of worms with the Reef Lighting/Selection Query, Whew. I believe much good was done here, especially regarding the Odyssea MH fixtures. For the price, it appears they are a quality fixture.
<Yeah... I read this ten bazillion times, and I still find it hard to believe>
On another note, why are the manuals you get with cameras so vague?
<Wish I knew>
Tells you want does what but not why or why you should use certain functions. Oh I wish I had my Nikormat 35mm camera back. What a joy to use and great pics. Didn't have a menu with 500 options. Sheesh. Time to start looking for a book on the G9 that is more user friendly.
Wonder if there is anything out there like that.
James|<The very best thing to do here is to search on the Net for folks who have used the model, or one close to it... for their insights into use/settings... Believe me. B>
<The very best thing to do here is to search on the Net for folks who have used the model, or one close to it... for their insights into use/settings... Believe me. B>

Yet another lighting upgrade question 12/30/07
Hi WWM Crew,
<Hi Jason!>
Let me start by letting you know how much I appreciate all of the useful information you freely give to your readers. I can only imagine how many aquarium critters you’ve saved.
<Thank you.>
Now a little background information – I currently have a 55 gallon flat back hex acrylic aquarium with 4 55w PC lamps. Right now I’ve got a Candy Cane Coral, Frogspawn and a Pulsing Xenia. All of them are placed in the upper 2/3 of the tank. I believe that my current lighting is enough to sustain these corals, but they may not truly thrive (I do feed the Candy Can and Frogspawn every other day).
For the New Year I’d like to upgrade my lighting system; I’d really like to go the HQI metal halide route and maybe use 2 of the PC lamps for supplemental actinic lighting. However, with my canopy closed I only have 4 ¾ inches from the top of the aquarium to the canopy (the shape of the flat back hex canopy has also proven to be problematic for lamp placement). My concern is that the heat output from the MH lamps will be a problem; especially given the fact that it’s an acrylic aquarium. Removing the canopy and using a pendant really isn’t an option.
<With that kind of height restriction I am concerned about the same issues.>
An alternative would be to go with 4 or 6 - 36” 39W T5 bulbs instead of the MH lamps; I may not gain as much intensity or any shimmering as with MHs but I’ve read that T5 lamps do not need to be replaced as often as PCs and that they are more energy efficient…which could potentially offset the cost of the upgrade.
<Eventually.>
I realize that the inhabitants I wish to keep are really the driving force behind my lighting; first and foremost I just want to ensure that my current corals are happy with an eye on the future (my crystal ball tells me anemones and clams are not in my future).
<Possibly a clam higher up in the tank with the T5’s, if you have the real estate. Anemones no.>
I have read through your site regarding lighting, but I would really just like a little hand-holding on my lighting decision.
<Your current lighting is adequate for what you have, but the T5’s sure wouldn’t hurt. Be sure to i