coral lighting

8 posts

Discuss all topics related to saltwater / reef tanks.


Snowboss4492
 
Posts: 2098
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:24 pm

coral lighting

by Snowboss4492

ok ...I have found a few species of coral I'd like to try out ............BUT............absolutly every website i have found specifies "low" 'medium" "moderate" and "high" lighting depending on the type of coral of course......................so....................whats that mean in referance to wattage, for example if i put my PC lights on a fresh water tank....well thats pretty "high" lighting ....but i know I'm only putting about 4 1/2 watts per gallon into my tank with it....so what level is that?

also ......does the level change according to tank depth as well? i have always thought so...only because it seems logical that light in a 12 inch deep tank would be more intense than the same light in a 20 inch deep tank............no?

Snowboss


schigara
 
Posts: 468
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:42 pm

by schigara

Depth makes a big difference as all wavelengths of light start to fall off as the water gets deeper and as they are falling all, there intensity and most imporantly, where photosynthetic corals are concerned, the photo active radiation reduces the deeper the light has to penetrate.

Watts per gallon is an obsolete formula when trying to apply to a coral reef. For example, consider all these light setups have the same Kelvin rating. A 65watt PC fixture will produce considerably less PAR(photo active radiation) than a 54watt T5 HO fixture and a 54w T5 HO with individual reflectors will produce considerably more PAR than the same T5 HO fixture that does not have individual reflectors.

Watt for watt, a single ended or double ended Metal Halide will produce more par than a T5 HO.

4.5 wpg of PC lighting is nothing compared to 4.5wpg of Halide when considering actual intensity and PAR. PAR is what corals that host Zooxanthalae need to live and grow.

PC lighting can be sufficient though, like you say, in a shallow tank or if the higher light demanding coral is kept closer to the top of the tank. You could easily keep mushrooms and Zoa's and some leathers. Some LPS like Torch or frogspawn could survive in that low a light. Just because a coral can survive, though, doesn't mean you could get good growth or even good coloration.

To answer your question simply, wattage per gallon is a useless reference to apply to photosynthetic coral.

Which coral are you interested in?


snowboss
 
Posts: 458
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:53 pm

by snowboss



snowboss
 
Posts: 458
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:53 pm

by snowboss

I understand completely your explination on the different intesities of lights not being dependant on wattage........thats why we took hundreds of metal halide fixtures out of gas station canopys and replaced them with much less wattage mercury vapor low consumption fixtures....saveing the station owners thousands per year and they got better quality lighting to boot....good post, Boss


Serial324556
 
Posts: 218
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2008 2:35 am

by Serial324556

Wow the Giant Green Polyp Duncan ad the Australian Big Polyp Blastomussa are frickin crazy lookin.
Can't wait to see them in your tank, I would imagine it would be fine with your lights. Your tank isn't tall at all it's pretty short and say you put those on your live rock then they are even closer towards the lights.


schigara
 
Posts: 468
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:42 pm

by schigara

A lot of people have kept coral like those under PC lights in a shallow tank but usually end up upgrading to a T5 HO fixture for better coloring and growth.

Also, the Blasto is an LPS so you would need to keep your calcium and alkalinity in the ranges more suited for stony corals. The calcium would need to stay in the 380-450 range and alkalinity in the 7-11dkh range.


Snowboss4492
 
Posts: 2098
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:24 pm

by Snowboss4492

i know my alk is at about 420 right now....I don't have a test kit for calcium right now..................

On another note....I'm thinking about adding a 16 lb box of nano live rock to the tank....so I'll probably get that ordered cycled and in the tank before I buy corals


somalia123
 
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 7:08 am

by somalia123

i have duncans and a blasto with pc lights and they are both doing great, the duncans have little babies sprouting

coral lighting

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