VHO lighting

timdog453 · 03/20/2008, 07:08 AM

Morning everyone-

I have gradually starting switching from a FOWLR set up to something that includes more corals.
The Tank
75 gal
110# live rock
(2) hydor #3 ( in opposite corners and alternating on/off twice daily via a timer)
1 500gpm powerhead with a filter screen with carbon in it.
protein skimmer (driven by a mag 7)
lighting is via 330 watts of VHO (1 actinic-2 14k)

Live stock-
1 clown fish
1 firefish
2 gobies (forget which kind-only about 1/2" long)
1 fire shrimp
1 serpent star
50 various snails
10 blue leg hermits
In all likely hood we will be trying a flame angel sometime in the next few weeks.

Over the past 6 months we've also added 3 small zoa colonies which appear to be doing well and 1 pulsing xenia which is doing very well and has begun to spread nicely.

My question is what would be the next logical step in adding corals?

Thanks for any advise.

Tim

HowardW · 03/20/2008, 07:25 AM

You could probably try most any soft or LPS coral IMO, something like a nice candy cane coral placed about 1/2 way up in the tank would look nice under the VHO's.

indydog1 · 03/20/2008, 08:19 AM

careful if you are adding the flame. as many have exerienced pretty good flames, there are some that have had trouble with them eating corals. good luck and i hope you find one that will be a perfect gentleman.

svb57 · 03/20/2008, 08:23 AM

I had very good luck with candy cane, torch, frog spawn, pavona, monti cap, bubble, even a maze brain under VHO's in a 125g tank.

The brain was almost at the top of the water but the rest were all over the tank.

Jim Mc

timdog453 · 03/20/2008, 11:32 AM

thanks for the advice. so far other than a buffer added weekly the only thing we add additive wise is calcium (once weekly) and strontium (weekly) Iodine maybe every 2 weeks. Anything else we should or shouldn't be doing?

I also do small water changes (10%) every 10 days or so.

HowardW · 03/20/2008, 11:39 AM

I don't think it's really necessary to dose strontium or too much iodide, you should get enough of those just by doing regular water changes. As a general rule, I wouldn't dose anything that you don't regularly test for and have determined you are deficient.

03/20/2008, 07:08 AM	#1
timdog453 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Lousiana Posts: 4	VHO lighting Morning everyone- I have gradually starting switching from a FOWLR set up to something that includes more corals. The Tank 75 gal 110# live rock (2) hydor #3 ( in opposite corners and alternating on/off twice daily via a timer) 1 500gpm powerhead with a filter screen with carbon in it. protein skimmer (driven by a mag 7) lighting is via 330 watts of VHO (1 actinic-2 14k) Live stock- 1 clown fish 1 firefish 2 gobies (forget which kind-only about 1/2" long) 1 fire shrimp 1 serpent star 50 various snails 10 blue leg hermits In all likely hood we will be trying a flame angel sometime in the next few weeks. Over the past 6 months we've also added 3 small zoa colonies which appear to be doing well and 1 pulsing xenia which is doing very well and has begun to spread nicely. My question is what would be the next logical step in adding corals? Thanks for any advise. Tim

03/20/2008, 07:25 AM	#2
HowardW Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Aurora, IL Posts: 1,763	You could probably try most any soft or LPS coral IMO, something like a nice candy cane coral placed about 1/2 way up in the tank would look nice under the VHO's. __________________ Florida live rock addict

03/20/2008, 11:39 AM	#6
HowardW Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Aurora, IL Posts: 1,763	I don't think it's really necessary to dose strontium or too much iodide, you should get enough of those just by doing regular water changes. As a general rule, I wouldn't dose anything that you don't regularly test for and have determined you are deficient. __________________ Florida live rock addict

03/20/2008, 08:19 AM	#3
indydog1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: round lake, il Posts: 1,590	careful if you are adding the flame. as many have exerienced pretty good flames, there are some that have had trouble with them eating corals. good luck and i hope you find one that will be a perfect gentleman. __________________ Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself Current Tank Info: 210 gal

03/20/2008, 08:23 AM	#4
svb57 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Romeoville, Ill Posts: 1,907	I had very good luck with candy cane, torch, frog spawn, pavona, monti cap, bubble, even a maze brain under VHO's in a 125g tank. The brain was almost at the top of the water but the rest were all over the tank. Jim Mc

03/20/2008, 11:32 AM	#5
timdog453 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Lousiana Posts: 4	thanks for the advice. so far other than a buffer added weekly the only thing we add additive wise is calcium (once weekly) and strontium (weekly) Iodine maybe every 2 weeks. Anything else we should or shouldn't be doing? I also do small water changes (10%) every 10 days or so.