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Unread 08/01/2008, 07:48 AM   #1
kernyboy
Moved On
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: MA
Posts: 470
Beginner Coral? How To Light?

Hey All,
I'm very new to the hobby! I have a 10g nano tank thats been going for about 3 months now. I initially started this venture as a FOWLR tank. But now I'm at a crossroad and looking to slowly take the plunge into coral.

I would like to get coral, and based on my research the easiest to manage for a beginner are mushroom and polyp. I have just a standard stock lighting that comes with a 10g tank (15W AGA lighting). I spoke to my LFS and I was told I could keep mushroom coral in my existing lighting conditions as mushroom are low light corals.

They recommended I get a 15W 10K light.

On my way from work, I stopped in at local petco. When I went to pick up the light, the attendee suggested I not get the 10K light and instead get a 50/50 6500K bulb claiming that 10K would cause much unwanted algae to grow and that I could only keep it on for shorter intervals (4 -6 hours I think)

I bought and installed the 50/50 light, but now everything looks "blue" and my clown fish and other livestock all have a drab, washed out appearance. Should I have gone with the 10K? I haven't added any coral yet, but how do I light this so that:

1.) My mushroom coral have enough light
2.) My fish dont look washed out



My Specs are-

Filtration:
10g tank
13lbs Live Rock
10lbs Live Sand
100gph Bio Wheel Filter


Live Stock:
2 Clown Fish
1 Dottyback
1 Red Banded Shrimp
1 Black Long Spiny Urchin

Clean Up Crew:
10 small hermits
1 Turbo Snail
1 Mexican Snail (I think that's what its called)

Lighting:
18" 50/50 6500K 15W Flresnt


I do a 10 - 20% water change EVERY week

My water chemistry is:
Ammonia - 0
PH - 8.2
Salinity - 1.023
Temp - 82 degrees
nitrate- 0
nitrite -20ppm





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Unread 08/01/2008, 08:50 AM   #2
Fish_wiz2
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 5,246
mushrooms and polyps are great beginners but 15 watt even for softies is a little low IMO i recommend a little boost. i had a ten back in the day and did a 40 watt PC 50/50 bulb and it did very well until i upgraded. but my 50/50 was a 10K with a 460 nm actinic (blue) and it looked great. here's my fixture: http://thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/204923/product.web


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