I'm lighting my 75watt with 4 NO flourescents. I originally planned my tank to be a FOWLR, but I'm kinda bored with JUST looking at coralline. I have a mushroom rock in my tank under that lighting and it's thriving... they're getting huge and one even has 3 mouths now. Anyways, I'd upgrade the lighting, but I'm trying to dig myself outa credit card debt and $500 for metal halide or even like $250 for PC just wont happen at this time. Besides 'shrooms, are there any softies that will be okay under this light? How about some acro's and maximas? :lol:
really low light corals
- Thread starter jandree22
- Start date
obviously not acro's or maximas. I have a 18 watt NO 50/50 light over my 10 gallon. It was to be a FOWLR but I soon got a few mushroom frags which are spliting left and right. Along with one of the frags I got 2 Zoanthus sp. These 2 have now reporduced to about 10. They seem to be reporducing faster and faster and are always looking great. That would be my suggestion.
Can this or similar fixtures be matched up with reef spectrum metal halides.... I'm thinking 10k? Here's a pic and description from Home Depot.
Regent
300 Watt White Halogen Floodlight Fixture
Model WQ300
Internet Catalog #325316
Store SKU#531102
This compact residential floodlight is made of durable die-cast metal for extra long life. The 300 watt halogen bulb is included and provides a bright light for security and convenience. Can be wall or eave mounted.
Regent
300 Watt White Halogen Floodlight Fixture
Model WQ300
Internet Catalog #325316
Store SKU#531102
This compact residential floodlight is made of durable die-cast metal for extra long life. The 300 watt halogen bulb is included and provides a bright light for security and convenience. Can be wall or eave mounted.
Ditto mushrooms, and probably zoanthids too. Check out Borneman's book on aquarium corals if you're really interested, it's an excellent reference.
If you go VHO, you can do 2x4ft bulbs for 220W, 3x for 330W, and 4x at 440W in your existing 75g. The URI-branded ballast (made by Icecap, but URI label) is less expensive, prob. around $140, and URI VHO bulbs run between $20-$25 each. Add some endcaps at about $10 each set. But that's off-topic. You've got 4xNO right now, that's 160W, that's probably adequate for both mushrooms and zoanthids. Your call what you like better.
If you go VHO, you can do 2x4ft bulbs for 220W, 3x for 330W, and 4x at 440W in your existing 75g. The URI-branded ballast (made by Icecap, but URI label) is less expensive, prob. around $140, and URI VHO bulbs run between $20-$25 each. Add some endcaps at about $10 each set. But that's off-topic. You've got 4xNO right now, that's 160W, that's probably adequate for both mushrooms and zoanthids. Your call what you like better.
The home depot halogens are incandescent halogen lamps. They have a Tungsten (I think Tungsten, could be wrong) filament, but use a halogen in the bulb, rather than an inert gas. This allows the bulb to run hotter, brighter, and last longer than regular light bulbs (I won't go into the actual hows and wherefores).
The MH bulbs used in aquatics are high intensity discharge lamps (think arc lights on steroids). Completely different animal.
The MH bulbs used in aquatics are high intensity discharge lamps (think arc lights on steroids). Completely different animal.
Yeah, but then the coral will be all brown, and no one can tell the different between the real meat coral and a plastic bag with some brown diatom on it anyway. You can try some soft corals, maybe Xenia or cabbage coral if you get them them aquacultured...
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