power compact lights?

[reefNewbie]

I need to buy a 36 in power compact unit. Whats a good, inexpensive, setup. Then as far as bulbs go, which do i need. This tank will not have coral, just anenome and few sponges.

 

[HARPO]

I know the idea of an anemone is what got alot of people in this hobby, but the reality of owning one is bleek. Anemones other than BTA's do not survive in captivaty and to purchase this eye candy is just depleteing its natural habitat. Anemones live for a couple hundered years in the ocean, but I wouldn't give it 4 months in most tanks, exspecialy a new tank that is not established.
Another point to concider, you want sponges and anemones. Anemones, require alot of light and water flow, sponges require low lighting and a lower water flow.
Also to better answer your question, you need to decsribe your tank set-up. NOT to blast you, but anemones are left better off in the sea.
HARPO

 

[tazdevil]

I'll unflame you now. Keeping an anemone alive for a long period of time is not impossible, however, requires extreme care, now-how, and a little luck. Some are being propegated in captivity as well. Sponges, on the other hand, are very specialized feeders, and if exposed to air at all, will succumb. You'd probably be best off trying mushrrom anemone's, they are more tolerant, don't require the lighting of LTA,BTA,Riterri, and Carpets. If your set on getting an anemone, probably a BTA for starters AFTER you do a lot of research, and gain experience in keeping various things alive. There's one book that I see commonly recommended, I believe its called "ANemones and Clownfishes" by Joyce Wilkinson (sp?).
Good Luck.

 

[monkeyboy]

This tank will not have coral, just anenome and few sponges.

Well even though you're just having an anemone, that doesn't quite excuse you from proper lighting (fwiw most anemones require more light than many types of coral), not to say that PC's arent propper. Before you start bargain shopping, which kind of anemone are you looking into? I'd suggest a captive raised bubble tipped anemone when your aquarium is more than 6 months old and doing very well.

I think a single 175w MH pendant would do wonders over your 3' tank (unless it's a deeper tank), much better than PC's would do.

You may also wish to do a search on sponges and start researching their captive care (they are somewhat difficult to keep).

 

[reefNewbie]

I was looking into getting a flower anemone and then a sebae anemone. I was talkig with the owner of the local salt water shop (www.seaofmarvels.com) and he was telling me that I should buy a PC model to support the anemones. Thats why I asked. I already have a 50/50 corallife bulb and he told me that in addition to that i would need the PC model. Now your sayind that It would be better to have the mh instead? thanks

 

[monkeyboy]

PC's would be fine for rock flower anemones and carribbean condylactis anemones, but for the sebae i'd recommend mh. Sebae's aren't the hardiest anemones either, again i'd suggest a bubble tipped anemone under mh if the idea is to go with clownfish also.

If you don't care to have clownfish/anemone pairs, condylactis anemones are beautiful, really hardy, require lower light levels, and are cheap as hell. Instead of clownfish, you could buy several commensual shrimp like pedersons cleaners and sexy shrimp (my avatar!!!). HTH

 

[reefNewbie]

ok, this is what reeftopia told me.....Now im really confused! lol

Everything will live nicely with your lighting as long as you place high light lovers at the top of your tank. Things like, Ribbon and encrusting gorgonians, sun zooanthis polyps, and ricordia.

I hope this information helps and I apologize for the delay.
Edie/Reeftopia

im getting different answeres from differnet pople. These people tell me that my current lighting (50/50 flourescent bulb) is good enough. My local shop (seaofmarvels.com) says that i need a power compact and you guys keep telling me i need MH. Im sooo confused!

 

[krusty_krab]

Hey RN-

We are somewhat in the same boat- I am inheriting a 30 gal with a clown, first thing I wanted to do was throw him an anemone to play in.

Heres what I found out thus far- anemones are sensitive to not only the intensity of light, but the refresh rate as well. Flourescents flicker, but to fast for either of us to see. Apparently the metal halides have a much higher refresh rate, or frequency. Anemones need this according to my LFS, and several places on the web.

Keep reading- but check out light frequencies in relation to this. Do not take my word for it :roll: - I am not an experienced reef dood- just sharing what I have found out thus far.

KK

 

[reefNewbie]

So what kind of bulb would be good to get for a MH setup. Im assuming i leave the 50/50 flourescent bulb i have with the MH? Also, since its MH what kind of cooling would i need? thanks

 

[monkeyboy]

Hehe, whoever endorses putting "light loving" coral under a single NO lamp obviously has no idea what bleaching is.

There's a whole pile of different styled MH setups out there. I'd suggest a pendant style with a cooling fan. They are cheaper w/out actinics so a 10k lamp would give you nice color even w/out the actinics. If you would like actinics and would be willing to step up to 250w i'd suggest an Iwasaki 6500k lamp (this lamp will even be cheaper than the 175w 10k).

The 50/50 will not be noticable under the mh, so if you even use it i'd just swap the 50/50 w/ an actinic.

 

[reefNewbie]

alright, cool. thanks for your help. Now would this Pendant unit be enough to cover all 3 feet of my aquariums length? or would there need to be two of these units, one at each end. Not to mention theres really no room left on top of my aquarium for another light. What would be the benefits of stepping it up a notch and getting the actinic bulb versus getting the 10k bulb? thanks agian

I was also wondering where would be a good place to purchase one of these setups, not just the bulb?

p.s. 6500K means actinic...or are some 6500K bulbs not also actinic?

 

[monkeyboy]

p.s. 6500K means actinic...or are some 6500K bulbs not also actinic?

6500k lamps are a white/yellow (generally more yellow than white) colored lamp (10k being white, anything less getting redder, anything higher going to violet). Actinic lamps are only reffered to as actinic or as 03, they don't get a kelvin rating. Some flourescent lamps are labeled as "7100k actinic" which is not really a true kelvin rating. 6500k Iwaski lamps are reasonably priced lamps which have the highest PAR ratings for their mogul socked wattage group (250 and 400w).

Unfortunately, the general rule is 1 halide per 2' of tank space, making a 3' tank halide setup not quite set in stone. You could go with either 1 in the middle or 2 spaced apart. If cash is an issue then i'd just go w/ 1 pendant, another can be added later if desired. If you have the option of retrofiting inside of a hood (could always make one, the halide pendants aren't always works of art) one could be mounted in the center and later moved to accomodate a second lamp. If you go with just 1 halide, you'll have darker areas on each end of the tank which you may or may not be willing to live with.

I suppose the first thing to do would be to price shop around and see what you're getting into before deciding on 1 or two lamps because depending on the unit and installation, you may be able to change them later.

Hope this makes sense!

 

[reefNewbie]

If you would like actinics and would be willing to step up to 250w i'd suggest an Iwasaki 6500k lamp (this lamp will even be cheaper than the 175w 10k).

So in this case, the 6500K bulb is an actinic even though you said they dont have K ratings?

also, I was shopping around and I found this.....PFO Horizontal pendant 250 watt HQI metal halide, for 89.99. Is this what I need? then i would just have to by the actinic bulb? I just wonder why its so cheap compared to all the other systems. Would that be all i need, or do i also have to purchase a ballast or something. thanks again for all ur help.