Michael,
Misty is right on the 4 watts per gallon being enough but there could be a catch.
Normally, when we are figuring amount of light for the tank and you don't have a light meter we are basing some of our watts per gallon on a few factors which I will try and illuminate here... :shock:
1. Type of lighting...... In order of lowest usable light per watt to highest.
Are the lights Normal Output (NO) fluorescents?
Are the lights Compact (CP) fluorescents?
Are the lights VHO fluorescents? (May produce more light per watt than T5 depending on bulb used)
Are the lights T5 fluorescents?
Are the lights Metal Halide (MH)?
2. Type of Reflector used..... In order of least to greatest amount of light focused towards water.
No reflector (bulb just mounted in canopy)
No reflector (canopy painted white)
Just about any type of reflector.... There are vast amounts of various reflectors and housings on the market.
3. Depth of water column.
The deeper the water, the more intense light you need. This allows for more light at the bottom of the tank.
In all, your 10 gallon should be just fine with the zoa and shrooms just like Misty said.
I will say though, I have some zoos that like a lot of light but it really depends on the type. If you notice yours not doing so well (as in getting smaller in diameter or stretching towards the surface) then they need more light.
Good luck and keep the band-aids handy.... :lol:
