WAIT....Quick Lighting Question!!!
- Thread starter HanKami
- Start date
fishfreak1242
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- New Rochelle
Seems like enough lighting to me. The depth of you tank is only 12" so power compact lighting is enough for lps and softies and maybe SPS is you keep them at the top of the tank.
Are you thinking about buying that fixture new? I'm sure you can get a much better deal on a used one here 
If you want to consider SPS you are going to need more light. It is usually suggested that you get the biggest light you can afford from the start so that you don't have to re-purchase one down the line. In this hobby many people end up upgrading their tank size eventually, best to be prepared for that.
A 2 bulb fixture won't give you the bang you really need for SPS and you may well want to have actinics that come on before and after your main bulbs go off (cause it's darned hard not to stare at your tank 24/7)..lol
If you want to consider SPS you are going to need more light. It is usually suggested that you get the biggest light you can afford from the start so that you don't have to re-purchase one down the line. In this hobby many people end up upgrading their tank size eventually, best to be prepared for that.
A 2 bulb fixture won't give you the bang you really need for SPS and you may well want to have actinics that come on before and after your main bulbs go off (cause it's darned hard not to stare at your tank 24/7)..lol
I'd say that if you want to use a fixture that's power compact, then you ought to change the bulbs from the actinics to 50/50's. The added PAR value that you'd get from them would be effective. And, you can probably keep some LPS successfully since many...like many Acans, for example...don't require much intensity. But, at the same time, Kathy makes a good point that you'd be better off starting with something more effective in the first place and if you can, for a tank with the depth of yours, I'd go with T5's. But, if you already have the fixture, change to the 50/50's and you'd be all right for a lot of LPS, and probably even some SPS like some Montipora digitata and also Pocilipora if you keep them up high under the light.
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Are you thinking about buying that fixture new? I'm sure you can get a much better deal on a used one here
If you want to consider SPS you are going to need more light. It is usually suggested that you get the biggest light you can afford from the start so that you don't have to re-purchase one down the line. In this hobby many people end up upgrading their tank size eventually, best to be prepared for that.
A 2 bulb fixture won't give you the bang you really need for SPS and you may well want to have actinics that come on before and after your main bulbs go off (cause it's darned hard not to stare at your tank 24/7)..lol
I agree with Kathy on this one ... if you want SPS go with a nice T-5 fixture, personally I would go with MH ... 2x 150W should be more then sufficient.
- Location
- Union Square, NY
You will probably want to upgrade your lighting like people suggested, but you should be able to keep montipora digitata, montipora capricornis and maybe even a seriatopora as long as they are near the top of the tank. I kept them with PCs with no issues, but then I knew I wanted the MH retrokit to handle acros.
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