Coral / Anemone Advice PLS

[SnowManSnow]

Hi guys,

I would like to add some coral or an Anemone (I know 2 totally different worlds) to my 40 gallon tank (couple of damsels and cleaner shrimp with LR and Argonite). I don't have wonderful lighting ($$ you know), but I was wondering if there was somthing cool I could keep without dishing out $$ for better lighting at this point? Basically I have standard aquarim light... (1 standard daylight 30 inch and 1 50/50 12 inch).

Any ideas? Or should I just wait for now?

Thanks,
B.

 

[Anonymous]

Nix the anemone idea, while there are plenty that don't require great lighting, they grow far too large for your system.

Instead, consider corallimorphs and other low-light requiring specimens (believe it or not, this does include tridacnid spp.). The big caveat here is that if your system is still relatively new you really should wait before adding certain 'touchy' specimens. Mushrooms don't fall into that category, though! (Nor do many zooanthids, leathers, etc.)

 

[SnowManSnow]

Hmm I'll consider that. Thanks. IF I WERE to purchase a double or tripple bulb fixture can I get away with the standard lighting, say... a 50/50 and a few other types? What mixture would be best? (again I'm new remember ) AND where can I go to learn about corallimorphs?

Thanks.
B.

 

[Anonymous]

Ditto what the Maiden has said.. - And all done and said, adding more NO (normal output) flourescents isn't really going to add all that much more to the mix. - Your money would be better spent (saved?)upgrading to PC (Power Compact), VHO or Metal Halide lighting really.

 

[SnowManSnow]

VHO seems to be the most bang for the buck.. at least it seems to get you where you can keep some interesting things. What type of fixture do I need for VHO? Can someone post a link to the page on BIGALSONLINE where I can SEE what I'm looking for.. I found the bulbs.. but what about housing... ect....
THANKS!

B.

 

[SkankinSurfer05]

Im looking to start my tank with corals and im sticking with vho's. They have a wide range of corals you can keep, which i like, and best of all, its pretty cheap. I found a retrofit, and all you need to do is make a cheap custom hood, and put them in. Just find one that fits your tank and budget.

http://hellolights.com/vhoretrokits.html

Alex

 

[SnowManSnow]

OK.. someone please explain what "retrofit" means.. I know its an ignorant question... but is confusing.

 

[Anonymous]

Retrofit just means its a kit thats meant to go inside of an existing hood or other type of enclosure.

 

[SnowManSnow]

ahh so...is it cheaper to buy a standard double or tripple bulb strip from say Home Depot.. then buy a retrofit kit for that size as opposed to buyin the entire thing?

 

[Anonymous]

Uhhh... - Not sure I understand what you mean by picking up a bulb strip from Home Depot..

But, heres a pic of the 32w retro kit I dropped into a stock "Perfecto" 10g plastic hood. - All I had to do was remove a few screws and yank out the old standard flourescent bulb and bulb housing hardware leaving just the black plastic top shell. - Drill a couple small screw-holes into the reflector that came with the retro kit so that they match up with the screw-holes on the Perfecto and set the wiring in place and thats it.. - Took like 15 minutes from start to finish.

This works ok for me because I only have low light requirements on a 10g.. - If I needed higher light I'd have to use a different retro kit (higher lighting) and also retrofit that upgraded light into a different enclosure of some sort. (Cuz the plastic would melt in real short order with MH so that won't work..)

Here's a link to a guy who builds custom canopies for JBJ Nanocubes that can then have MH lights retrofit into it.
http://home.earthlink.net/~reefcanopy/

Heres a pic of one of 'em if you don't want to bother though..

I'd do something like this if I needed more light over that 10g.. (And it'd probably be a good idea to drop in some fans too to keep the heat from getting too high..)

Hope that helps,
Norm

 

[tvu]

I have a 48" JBJ PC fixture with 4x55w (220w total) with 2 actinics and 2 10K bulbs that I'll sell to if you're interested. The bulbs are 2 months old. It wasn't enough lighting for my 72gallon bowfront. I'll give you a good deal on i ... say $150 shipped.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi guys,

I would like to add some coral or an Anemone (I know 2 totally different worlds) to my 40 gallon tank (couple of damsels and cleaner shrimp with LR and Argonite). I don't have wonderful lighting ($$ you know), but I was wondering if there was somthing cool I could keep without dishing out $$ for better lighting at this point? Basically I have standard aquarim light... (1 standard daylight 30 inch and 1 50/50 12 inch).

Any ideas? Or should I just wait for now?

Thanks,
B.

I certainly understand the lack of funds. Possibly you could modify a cheapie utility fixture to fit your system. I did that for my 55g to deliver 220watts.

I also cut a fixture down to 36" for my son in law's FW tank.

Home Depot had a $7 fixture that had an electronic ballast. I rewired the ballast for fire one tube so that 55watts was delivered to that tube. I then took a ballast from a second fixture and used it to fire the second tube. So I got 110w on two 4' tubes for $15.00. Just an idea. And yes I do use a glass top. And the electronic ballast is required for that modification. Magnetic will not work.

Bob