Low light reef options.

Just to set the record straight here, you can keep ANY type of coral
using normal (NO)fluorescent lighting provided you have enough of them
and you place the corals in the correct part of the water column. I
have a 90 gal reef that is lighted with 6-40 watt bulbs (1- 50/50,
2-20k, 3-actinic). The key is the IceCap ballast. The NO bulb produce
approximately the same intensity as VHO with these ballasts. However
the electrical consumption is about 50% greater per bulb (i.e., 60 watts
consumed for each NO bulb).

I have a variety of corals including various SPC (small polyped corals)
such as Porites and numerous Acroporas. However, those high light
requiring species need to be located in the upper third of the water
column to get sufficient light. They may not grow quite as fast as
under metal halides but they do just fine. In fact, some of my Porites
actually are much lighter in color on surface of the coral piece versus
the sides, which suggests they are actually getting more light than they
can handle.

So much for the theory that NO bulbs will not work in a diverse coral
reef aquarium.

If you want to respond to me directly, remove the nospam from the address.

Bob

Mark Cooper wrote:
What types of corals, mushrooms etc. can be kept with normal fluorescent
lighting?


Thanks,
Mark

much snipped

So much for the theory that NO bulbs will not work in a diverse coral
reef aquarium.


What do NO and PC stand for in regard to lighting?
Thanks,
Cindy

I assumed it was Normal Output and Power Compact but I may be wrong.

Cindy wrote:
much snipped

So much for the theory that NO bulbs will not work in a diverse coral
reef aquarium.



What do NO and PC stand for in regard to lighting?
Thanks,
Cindy

On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 16:24:08 +1000, miskairal mehiding@Oz wrote:

I assumed it was Normal Output and Power Compact but I may be wrong.

No, you are correct !

Cindy wrote:
much snipped

So much for the theory that NO bulbs will not work in a diverse coral
reef aquarium.



What do NO and PC stand for in regard to lighting?
Thanks,
Cindy

miskairal wrote:
I assumed it was Normal Output and Power Compact but I may be wrong.

Thank you!

Hi Bob,
I'm afraid your first paragraph is very hard to believe, you
are claiming to keep all types of coral under NO fluorescent tubes at
less than 3 watts per gallon!! impossible!, you may sustain a few of
the low light varitys but thats all. your claims for NO tubes run of
Ice Cap ballasts is also a lot of nonsence!
regards,
unclenorm.


Bob Hoffman wrote:
Just to set the record straight here, you can keep ANY type of coral
using normal (NO)fluorescent lighting provided you have enough of them
and you place the corals in the correct part of the water column. I
have a 90 gal reef that is lighted with 6-40 watt bulbs (1- 50/50,
2-20k, 3-actinic). The key is the IceCap ballast. The NO bulb produce
approximately the same intensity as VHO with these ballasts. However
the electrical consumption is about 50% greater per bulb (i.e., 60 watts
consumed for each NO bulb).

I have a variety of corals including various SPC (small polyped corals)
such as Porites and numerous Acroporas. However, those high light
requiring species need to be located in the upper third of the water
column to get sufficient light. They may not grow quite as fast as
under metal halides but they do just fine. In fact, some of my Porites
actually are much lighter in color on surface of the coral piece versus
the sides, which suggests they are actually getting more light than they
can handle.

So much for the theory that NO bulbs will not work in a diverse coral
reef aquarium.

If you want to respond to me directly, remove the nospam from the address.

Bob

Mark Cooper wrote:
What types of corals, mushrooms etc. can be kept with normal fluorescent
lighting?


Thanks,
Mark

NO lights can be overdriven (more light, and more watts)
with ice cap balasts.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



unclenorm wrote on 12/1/2005 12:41 AM:
Hi Bob,
I'm afraid your first paragraph is very hard to believe, you
are claiming to keep all types of coral under NO fluorescent tubes at
less than 3 watts per gallon!! impossible!, you may sustain a few of
the low light varitys but thats all. your claims for NO tubes run of
Ice Cap ballasts is also a lot of nonsence!
regards,
unclenorm.


Bob Hoffman wrote:

Just to set the record straight here, you can keep ANY type of coral
using normal (NO)fluorescent lighting provided you have enough of them
and you place the corals in the correct part of the water column. I
have a 90 gal reef that is lighted with 6-40 watt bulbs (1- 50/50,
2-20k, 3-actinic). The key is the IceCap ballast. The NO bulb produce
approximately the same intensity as VHO with these ballasts. However
the electrical consumption is about 50% greater per bulb (i.e., 60 watts
consumed for each NO bulb).

I have a variety of corals including various SPC (small polyped corals)
such as Porites and numerous Acroporas. However, those high light
requiring species need to be located in the upper third of the water
column to get sufficient light. They may not grow quite as fast as
under metal halides but they do just fine. In fact, some of my Porites
actually are much lighter in color on surface of the coral piece versus
the sides, which suggests they are actually getting more light than they
can handle.

So much for the theory that NO bulbs will not work in a diverse coral
reef aquarium.

If you want to respond to me directly, remove the nospam from the address.

Bob

Mark Cooper wrote:

What types of corals, mushrooms etc. can be kept with normal fluorescent
lighting?


Thanks,
Mark