Corals / Anemones/ lighting

I have a FOWLR and I'm thinking of adding corals and or anemones. I
don't know anything about either of them so I'm here doing some
research. I know I don't want to buy any special lighting other then
bulbs so, from Soup to nuts, what will I need to do?

On Jan 12, 1:20*pm, Peter Pan wrote:
I have a FOWLR and I'm thinking of adding corals and or anemones. I
don't know anything about either of them so I'm here doing some
research. *I know I don't want to buy any special lighting other then
bulbs so, from Soup to nuts, what will I need to do?

its all together possible to grow quite a lot of various softies in a
tank with standard NO lighting. I donlt have a clue what you have now
for lights, but the addition of actinic would be nice not only for
viewing and bringing out colors but some critters need actinic to do
best.Mushrooms, some leathers, feather dusters / tube worms, cocoa
worms, green star polyp, yellow polyps, a lot if not most all
zooanthids will all do pretty darn good with no special lighting. Make
sure your fish are suitable for a reef environment though. And while
its not 110% necessary you would benefit big time with a skimmer, and
using rodi water as once you add corals and live rock its a whole
different matter of solving any problems if they arise..and rodi water
does solve a lot of headache normally encountered with reg
dechlorinated tap water.

Personally I would not even fool with an anenome, some require better
light than standard type lighting stock tanks come with and they are
prone to moving all over the tank and wind up where you do not want
them, most times..........I prefer to look at them in someone else's
tank and not mine.

Peter Pan wrote on Sat, 12 Jan 2008:
I have a FOWLR and I'm thinking of adding corals and or anemones. I don't
know anything about either of them so I'm here doing some research. I know I
don't want to buy any special lighting other then bulbs so, from Soup to
nuts, what will I need to do?

Is this a joke? The main difference (besides requiring superior water
quality) between keeping only fish, and keeping corals/anemones, is brighter
lighting. Most corals and most anemones get a significant fraction of their
energy input from lighting.

As to what "else" you'll need, surely it depends on what you've got right
now. It's possible that a FOWLR tank is already a perfectly fine environment
for corals/anemones -- probably except for the lighting. And probably some
kind of calcium supplement for corals; they absorb calcium from the water and
use it to build their skeletons, so you need to regularly replace that (with
calicum powder, or using kalkwasser for your evaporation topoff).

But you didn't mention what equipment you already had. You didn't mention
what your water parameters were (ammonia, nitrates, calcium, etc.). How do
you expect anyone to actually answer your question seriously about what you
"need to do"?

-- Don
__________________________________________________ _____________________________
Don Geddis http://reef.geddis.org/
I hope some animal never bores a hole in my head and lays its eggs in my brain,
because later you might think you're having a good idea but it's just eggs
hatching. -- Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handey

Peter Pan wrote:
I have a FOWLR and I'm thinking of adding corals and or anemones. I
don't know anything about either of them so I'm here doing some
research. I know I don't want to buy any special lighting other then
bulbs so, from Soup to nuts, what will I need to do?

Go with T5s; very bright, not as much heat as halogens, so unless you're
using a deep tank, you don't need halogens.

What kind of filtration do you have? You need, minimum, a very good
skimmer, and the cniderians do better with a decent refugium. CPR
sells a good one for under $300.

You'll also need a good amount of live rock, and likely a sand bed.
Different anemones/corals require different environments in that
regard.

Mike

My current set up is 75 gal tank with approx 85 lbs of LR with a deep
sand bed. The tank is established for 7 years. Lighting; I have actinic
and Coralife trichromatic Fluorescents. Canister Filtration, Skimmer and
RODI. Nitrates are usually under 15ppm, I don't have issues with Ammonia
or Nitrites of any thing else.

Peter Pan wrote:
I have a FOWLR and I'm thinking of adding corals and or anemones. I
don't know anything about either of them so I'm here doing some
research. I know I don't want to buy any special lighting other then
bulbs so, from Soup to nuts, what will I need to do?

Caught the bug, did you? Be(a)ware that it can be hazardous to your
pocket book.

So, what do you currently have? What sort of things do you want to keep?

--Kurt

Then don't buy any corals or anemones.

Wayne Sallee



Peter Pan wrote on 1/12/2008 2:20 PM:
I have a FOWLR and I'm thinking of adding corals and or anemones. I
don't know anything about either of them so I'm here doing some
research. I know I don't want to buy any special lighting other then
bulbs so, from Soup to nuts, what will I need to do?

My accepted set up is 75 gal catchbasin with approx 85 lbs of LR with a deep sand bed. The catchbasin is accustomed for 7 years. Lighting; I accept actinic and Coralife trichromatic Fluorescents. Canister Filtration, Skimmer and RODI. Nitrates are usually beneath 15ppm, I don't accept issues with Ammonia or Nitrites of any affair else.

Go to your favorite pet store that has lots of
puppies. Tell them that you want a puppy. Tell them
that you know that you don't want to have to feed
it. Then ask them which puppy you should get.

Wayne Sallee



Peter Pan wrote on 1/12/2008 2:20 PM:
I have a FOWLR and I'm thinking of adding corals and or anemones. I
don't know anything about either of them so I'm here doing some
research. I know I don't want to buy any special lighting other then
bulbs so, from Soup to nuts, what will I need to do?

On Jan 12, 6:31*pm, Wayne Sallee wrote:
Go to your favorite pet store that has lots of
puppies. Tell them that you want a puppy. Tell them
that you know that you don't want to have to feed
it. Then ask them which puppy you should get.

Wayne Sallee


Peter Pan wrote on 1/12/2008 2:20 PM:



I have a FOWLR and I'm thinking of adding corals and or anemones. I
don't know anything about either of them so I'm here doing some
research. *I know I don't want to buy any special lighting other then
bulbs so, from Soup to nuts, what will I need to do?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Such ****.but then it could be expected coming from this
bunch.Certainly he can have softies without having to invest in nmew
lighting.pitch the cannister filter and get a skimmer and go.Its
doable but these know it alls think you have to toss $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$ top get corals or any kind to grow..................just not
so.........and there is a lot of corals out there that are low light
requirements and will do fine with what you have............contrary
to what these assholes say...............The majority of these
assholes also say you can not properly have corals in a pico or nano
tank but its done everyday with astonishing
results..................Just stay away from anemones and watch what
corals yu buy and you will be fine. he LFS here has shop[ lights and
juist a single 10K bulb over a 115 gal tank and its spectacular with
all kinds of low light requirement
softies........................................... ....Its no wonder
Wayne could not keep his buisness affloat..........he is used to
pushing top $$$$$$$$$ items for mucho profit with disregards to
customers and what one really needs to have............Of course none
here will admit to it as they are afraid to take the name of the Lord
of the Aquyaria Marine Groups name in vain, but they know it can be
done..................they just don't know how! If it can be done ina
12 gal opr 29 gal Eclipse II or III tank you can do it in yours too
with little more $$$ cash to lay out!