Lighting????

[TWycoff15]

I have a 75 fowler tank that i want to get a anemonie for, i read the rule is 3.5 to 4.5 watts per gallon is that right? I am taking the lights from my 54 gallon reef (wich is a 2 foot coralife light). And it says 10,000 and then it says 65 watts they are 4 bulbs and if im doing it the correct way it should be just enough if i were going by the 3.5 rule.And to kill two birds with one stone do the lights go bad even if they havent gone out i heard someone say to change them every six months i have had mine for a year and a half but they havent burned out, do i need to change them enyways? And if i did deside to do a reef tank would it be enough light to do lps corals. Im not sure and it is obviously a newb question thats why i put it on here. This is the link to the light. Sorry if these are stupid questions but cant find a clear answer on the internet.

http://www.marineandreef.com/Aqualight_Compact_Fluorescent_2X65W_24_Coralife_p/res53102.htm

 

[bimmerzs]

@TWycoff15 wrote:

Hi,
Using wpg is a useless way to determine lighting needs. For example.. a 75G tanks come in all different sizes and depth's, a 18" high tank probably need less lighting strength than a 30" high tank even if they are the same overall size(75G). A tank's lighting need's are determined more by what's in the tank.... than what size the tank is. The limiting factor with power compact bulbs is the penetration, T5's and MH's penetrate much deeper than power compact bulbs period. With that size tank I would think that you could keep lps and some easier sps like monti caps an digitata if the sps is kept high in the tank. Also...you don't wait for light to burn out before replacing, usually 9 month's to a year is the normal replacement period, any longer and the bulb's may shift spectrum. When bulb's shift spectrum, they go more to the red spectrum and contribute to nuisance algae growth. You won't see them visually look red, they actually look more yellow to our eye's but they do shift to the red spectrum.

Cheers,

 

[TWycoff15]

@bimmerzs wrote:

Hi,
Using wpg is a useless way to determine lighting needs. For example.. a 75G tanks come in all different sizes and depth's, a 18" high tank probably need less lighting strength than a 30" high tank even if they are the same overall size(75G). A tank's lighting need's are determined more by what's in the tank.... than what size the tank is. The limiting factor with power compact bulbs is the penetration, T5's and MH's penetrate much deeper than power compact bulbs period. With that size tank I would think that you could keep lps and some easier sps like monti caps an digitata if the sps is kept high in the tank.

Cheers,"]


Thanks for the reply It is 18 inches high, What do you think about a anemonie up high towards the light? I have some corals for sale softies dont no if your interested but need to sell. theyer on the sale forum.

 

[bimmerzs]

@TWycoff15 wrote:

Hi,
Using wpg is a useless way to determine lighting needs. For example.. a 75G tanks come in all different sizes and depth's, a 18" high tank probably need less lighting strength than a 30" high tank even if they are the same overall size(75G). A tank's lighting need's are determined more by what's in the tank.... than what size the tank is. The limiting factor with power compact bulbs is the penetration, T5's and MH's penetrate much deeper than power compact bulbs period. With that size tank I would think that you could keep lps and some easier sps like monti caps an digitata if the sps is kept high in the tank.

Cheers,"]


Thanks for the reply It is 18 inches high, What do you think about a anemonie up high towards the light? I have some corals for sale softies dont no if your interested but need to sell. theyer on the sale forum."]
An anemone will go to where it want's to be, not where you want it to be. I personally wouldn't put an anempne in a 75G tank with 130W of power compact lighting, and that would be before considering the bulb's are over a year old. I'm sure you will get other's viewpoints's on this.

Cheers,

 

[TWycoff15]

@bimmerzs wrote:

Hi,
Using wpg is a useless way to determine lighting needs. For example.. a 75G tanks come in all different sizes and depth's, a 18" high tank probably need less lighting strength than a 30" high tank even if they are the same overall size(75G). A tank's lighting need's are determined more by what's in the tank.... than what size the tank is. The limiting factor with power compact bulbs is the penetration, T5's and MH's penetrate much deeper than power compact bulbs period. With that size tank I would think that you could keep lps and some easier sps like monti caps an digitata if the sps is kept high in the tank.

Cheers,"]


Thanks for the reply It is 18 inches high, What do you think about a anemonie up high towards the light? I have some corals for sale softies dont no if your interested but need to sell. theyer on the sale forum."]
An anemone will go to where it want's to be, not where you want it to be. I personally wouldn't put an anempne in a 75G tank with 130W of power compact lighting, and that would be before considering the bulb's are over a year old. I'm sure you will get other's viewpoints's on this.

Cheers,"]


Hey so whats the differance I have 130 watts of the white lights and 130 watts of the BLue lights. Whats the differance between the two? Thanks

 

[bimmerzs]

@TWycoff15 wrote:

Hi,
Using wpg is a useless way to determine lighting needs. For example.. a 75G tanks come in all different sizes and depth's, a 18" high tank probably need less lighting strength than a 30" high tank even if they are the same overall size(75G). A tank's lighting need's are determined more by what's in the tank.... than what size the tank is. The limiting factor with power compact bulbs is the penetration, T5's and MH's penetrate much deeper than power compact bulbs period. With that size tank I would think that you could keep lps and some easier sps like monti caps an digitata if the sps is kept high in the tank.

Cheers,"]


Thanks for the reply It is 18 inches high, What do you think about a anemonie up high towards the light? I have some corals for sale softies dont no if your interested but need to sell. theyer on the sale forum."]
An anemone will go to where it want's to be, not where you want it to be. I personally wouldn't put an anempne in a 75G tank with 130W of power compact lighting, and that would be before considering the bulb's are over a year old. I'm sure you will get other's viewpoints's on this.

Cheers,"]


Hey so whats the differance I have 130 watts of the white lights and 130 watts of the BLue lights. Whats the differance between the two? Thanks"]

So you have 260W total of power compact lighting....your 130W of blue light adds very little in terms of usable light for your anemone. Actinic(blue) lights are limited in the "spectrum" of light produced i.e. yellow, red etc., and are used in most cases for how they make the coral's look. The reduced light output (PAR) of the actinic lights means even less penetration through the water. Bubble Tip's may do "ok", may not but it would be best if you could have it less than 12" from the surface. Also the type of anemone you want matters also in regard to lighting need's. Also it looks like you will have 2 of these fixtures but still.....the anemone will be in one location, that 260W will be spread over the entire tank. This means that the anemone will be getting just the amount of light that's in the area it's in. Here is one of the best sources for anemone's. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm . You can also find the answers to a lot of other questions here as well.


Cheers,

 

[jawdubb]

TWycoff,

What kind of anemonie are you looking at? I have a 55 gallon tank and I use the exact lighting set-up you are about to use. I have 3 flower anemonies and they all seem to thrive in my tank. I actually had one just crawl to the bottom of the tank and bury its foot under the sand. It is really cool looking. If you are wanting something like a bubble anemonie they have higher lighting requirements. I tried one and it did not go well so I gave it away. I was told that clown fish will not host flower anemonies, but I have seen it happen. There are alos other anemonies that have lower lighting needs, but after researching, I fell in love with the flower anems. They come in a nice range of colors. P.M. me if you want a great site that offers nice colors of them for a great price and a more than fair price on shipping. I am still trying to find a red one for my tank.

 

[TWycoff15]

@jawdubb wrote:

Sherman rose, Bubble tip, Or carpet dosent really matter but thoughs are the prefered. Do you think it would be okay to keep a nem with that light in a 75 gallon? I had the lights on a 54 gallon corner before and had a anemone.Pm me the site thanks