i was at the local LFS today here on long island, New York (Country Critters for those who know it)and all of their many reef tanks run on PC lighting only 2 to 4 strips in the usual blue and white combos. Their tanks were thriving! Nicest tanks i have ever seen! Not a halide in sight and every hard, soft, clam, etc you could imagine....pink everywhere and everything looking amazing! He (the owner) stated halides were not necesssary, and now i am starting to believe him! Antone else ever been or heard of this store....or agree with this?
an argument for PC lighting!!!!
- Thread starter ebaybrad
- Start date
Is it possible he was just keeping corals that didn't require intense halides in the tanks? I've seen many beautiful tanks with PC's or VHO that didn't keep sps that required intense halides. However, I've seen sps that can live under low to moderate halides thrive under PC or VHO.
I have been there many times and those tanks are beautiful and your right I haven't seen any MH either. I agree SPS and clams can be kept under PCs because I'm doing it now, but I know that they would probably do better under MHs because of the light intensity.
Mike
Mike
I am using PC, a 4X96w PC retro. I have all types of corals and they seem to be multiplying at a decent rate. A lfs uses solely PC lighting for all their aquariums, and some others I goto use PC on some and MH on others. The only diff I see is that the acopora and montipora, etc are kept under halides.
Another thing is that lfs can always switch new and more lively looking corals every week without us knowing. I go to a few lfs every week and their display tanks always look awsome especially the ones that look imppossible. I started to pay attention and notice that every one or two weeks the corals are diff. My point is if you pay attention to those tanks, they are constantly being replace with new corals. Just my observation though, not necessarily means all lfs do that.
I know this is a sensitive area, however my two cents - I have a 240 gallon with clams, sps, lps and softies. I use 8*96watt Pc's and have been prepared for some time to switch to halides if i felt I would do better. I have a freind with the same 240 and similar corals, he has MH lights, we trade frags pretty often and the only real difference I see is the fact that acropora grows a little (and i mean a little) faster in his tank. I love the look of the halides and as I said am prepared to switch, I just don't see the need. - my tank is just over 1 year old.
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Just love broad statements like this. For SPS I would have to agree that your chances of long range survival would be much greater with MH but for LPS and soft corals I don't see that MH is necessary. I've got a toadstool leather that I bought over 10 years ago and has never seen a MH bulb. I also have a torch that has been under florescents for about 8 years. I currently have a purple (still purple after 1 year) acropora, green hydrophora, and yellow piorites all under just straight VHO.
BTW, I have tried PC's and a combo of VHO/PC before but really like straight VHO the best of those three. Before I upset all of the MH users/pushers let me say that I have nothing against MH. Actually I am in the process of converting my tank over to MH/VHO just so that I can expand my SPS collection without worrying as much as I do now. Just wanted to clarify that some of the less light intensive species seem to live indefinitely under florescents IMHO.
Just love broad statements like this. For SPS I would have to agree that your chances of long range survival would be much greater with MH but for LPS and soft corals I don't see that MH is necessary. I've got a toadstool leather that I bought over 10 years ago and has never seen a MH bulb. I also have a torch that has been under florescents for about 8 years. I currently have a purple (still purple after 1 year) acropora, green hydrophora, and yellow piorites all under just straight VHO.
BTW, I have tried PC's and a combo of VHO/PC before but really like straight VHO the best of those three. Before I upset all of the MH users/pushers let me say that I have nothing against MH. Actually I am in the process of converting my tank over to MH/VHO just so that I can expand my SPS collection without worrying as much as I do now. Just wanted to clarify that some of the less light intensive species seem to live indefinitely under florescents IMHO.
reeferbrad,
Don't be misled about pc not heating up a tank. I run 6x55 pc on my 72 gal and have to have fans on it in an upstairs ac house, no chiller though. As heard from so many on this board about not just going for the so called expensive set-up and settling for something I think should be sufficient, I am considering changing the whole lighting set-up and going with 2x55 pc 03 actinic and 2x150 HQI. This SHOULD be my final lighting set-up.
Don't be misled about pc not heating up a tank. I run 6x55 pc on my 72 gal and have to have fans on it in an upstairs ac house, no chiller though. As heard from so many on this board about not just going for the so called expensive set-up and settling for something I think should be sufficient, I am considering changing the whole lighting set-up and going with 2x55 pc 03 actinic and 2x150 HQI. This SHOULD be my final lighting set-up.
Well I know about Country Critters and they have probably THE BEST Specimens in the East Coast!Fact is even Mr. Sprung visits there.They have setup a 200gal Show tank and nothing in it is for sale.That aught to put to rest your comments about selling off and stocking fresh good looking coral.Those corals in the show tank are there for good.It has 8 -96 watt CSL power compacts,which is only a louzy 4 watts per gallon.Theres many many mixes of corals, and the Pocillopora is glowing pink like it was on fire.Same with the hydnopora and some of the acripora.Its going about a year now.Perhaps the growth isnt as fast as halides, but then thats just more maintainance!Youll have to frag or risk stinging warfare.I suggest anyone within a days drive of this place (Patchogue Long Island off Rt112 south of Sunrise HWY) its a must see.Prices are steep though .But the variety will blow away any LFS store --period
I'm just saying, if you can afford MH them go with it rather than PC's or VHO. Mh are really the cheapest in the end when it comes to bulb replacement watt for watt. I used to use PC's and they worked fine then I finally saved up enough and changed over to MH. I'm very happy I did. I'm not against VHO or PC's. I just prefer the "BMW" when it comes to this hobby.
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