PC lights for a reef tank?

[Mirek]

How good are 4x65w power compacts for a 55g. tank.. 2x65w actinics and
2x65w 10k. I plan on running them on this schedule: actinic on @ 0700,
@ 0900 both on untill 2030(830p)then actinics untill 2200 or so...Any
ideas? any experience with PC lights and coral? i know MH are better
but just don't fit our home. thanks for any replies. Mirek

I plan on having a Heteractis magnifica to host 3 false perculla
clownfish, Pumping Xenia, and mabe a yellow gorgonia, some shrooms
(anything else you can add to a 55g, let me know please).
i have a small blue hippo tang, six line wrasse, lemon peel angel and a
scooter blenny. CBS, cleaning crew. 30lbs. of rock only(but Im adding
more......really I am).

[Wayne Sallee]

That's 4.7 wats per gallon. That's prity good. I'd rather
go with 2 175w MH lights giving a 6.36 wats per gallon.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Mirek wrote on 1/9/2006 6:01 PM:
> How good are 4x65w power compacts for a 55g. tank.. 2x65w actinics and
> 2x65w 10k. I plan on running them on this schedule: actinic on @ 0700,
> @ 0900 both on untill 2030(830p)then actinics untill 2200 or so...Any
> ideas? any experience with PC lights and coral? i know MH are better
> but just don't fit our home. thanks for any replies. Mirek
>
> I plan on having a Heteractis magnifica to host 3 false perculla
> clownfish, Pumping Xenia, and mabe a yellow gorgonia, some shrooms
> (anything else you can add to a 55g, let me know please).
> i have a small blue hippo tang, six line wrasse, lemon peel angel and a
> scooter blenny. CBS, cleaning crew. 30lbs. of rock only(but Im adding
> more......really I am).
>

[Mirek]

So the kids of a bulb dosen't matter so much as the wattage? right...

[Mirek]

kinds

[Mirek]

kinds

[Ray Martini]

I use the Coralife 4x65 watt PC lighting system. Same config as you
describe. I sucessfully keep tons of LPS and Soft corals in the reef and
they are doing wonderfully. I've had most of them about a year now.

The only things I haven't tried are SPS and clams which I think require
more lighting. I may try a small piece of SPS and see but not until I move
the reef to my new apartment next month.


"Mirek" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> How good are 4x65w power compacts for a 55g. tank.. 2x65w actinics and
> 2x65w 10k. I plan on running them on this schedule: actinic on @ 0700,
> @ 0900 both on untill 2030(830p)then actinics untill 2200 or so...Any
> ideas? any experience with PC lights and coral? i know MH are better
> but just don't fit our home. thanks for any replies. Mirek
>
> I plan on having a Heteractis magnifica to host 3 false perculla
> clownfish, Pumping Xenia, and mabe a yellow gorgonia, some shrooms
> (anything else you can add to a 55g, let me know please).
> i have a small blue hippo tang, six line wrasse, lemon peel angel and a
> scooter blenny. CBS, cleaning crew. 30lbs. of rock only(but Im adding
> more......really I am).
>

[BigHaig]

It is the wattage and kelvin that are critical. 20K Kevlin and 10K Kelvin
are better for Corals and such. 20K gives off a blue-ish tint. You need
good wattage to provide enough light, then the spectrum (kelvin) is the
"rays" that provide for photosynthesis.

[Billy]

"Ray Martini" > wrote in message
...

>
> The only things I haven't tried are SPS and clams which I think
> require more lighting. I may try a small piece of SPS and see but
> not until I move the reef to my new apartment next month.
>
>

For the record, I have a very similar PC lighting setup on my 75gal,
and my crocea clam has been doing well for a year now.

As always, YMMV. :)

billy