Lighting Question for Reef Setup

karaim · 01/05/2009, 02:20 PM

I currently have a 120 gallon FOWLR. The fish in my FOWLR will be moved to a new 260 gallon and the 120 will be turned into a reef tank. I have a few questions:

1) My tank is 25" tall. I can get a REALLY CHEAP metal halide fixture ($150) from a friend. The fixture has 2 400 watt ballasts, 1 250 watt balast (in the center), some fluoresecent lights and night lights. I plan on keeping some SPS and LPS, but will probably mainly concentrate on softies and mushrooms. Will this light be too strong (the 400 watt specifically)? What can I do to lessen the intensity of the 400 watt balasts? Get a dimmer?

2) To quarantine corals, what kind of lighting do I need for my quarantine tank? I have a 10 gallon QT tank. It's 12 inches tall and has a regular fluorescent 6500K light (not sure how many watts, but I am pretty sure it is weak).

3) My calcium levels in my current FOWLR tank are 600. I do NOT dose and assume that much calcium is in my tap water (I do not use RO/DI water). Will this much calcium kill the corals? What can I do to REDUCE the calcium levels? Will RO/DI water help?

I tried to do a search to see if my question was previously asked, but the search function isn't working

.
Thanks in advance.

karaim · 01/05/2009, 04:05 PM

Any thoughts?

sasharotty · 01/05/2009, 05:08 PM

As far as your lighting sounds like a good deal.What fixture is it?The 400 watt wont be a problem.I have 3 400 watt halides on a 29" tank.If you have lower light corals just place them lower in the tank with shade and sps up higher.Just keep an eye on em to insure their happy.As far as quarenting corals never done that maybe someone else can chime in with their thoughts,just properly acclimate them.As far as your 600 calcium,you have that much cause nothing is using it up,once you staart putting coral and invertabraes in there you will have to start dosing and plenty of water changes.When you start stocking your new reef tank you are going to want rodi water not tap water.Tapwater contains many metals that will be harmful to your coral and phosphates.Good luck!

01/05/2009, 02:20 PM	#1
karaim Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 371	Lighting Question for Reef Setup I currently have a 120 gallon FOWLR. The fish in my FOWLR will be moved to a new 260 gallon and the 120 will be turned into a reef tank. I have a few questions: 1) My tank is 25" tall. I can get a REALLY CHEAP metal halide fixture ($150) from a friend. The fixture has 2 400 watt ballasts, 1 250 watt balast (in the center), some fluoresecent lights and night lights. I plan on keeping some SPS and LPS, but will probably mainly concentrate on softies and mushrooms. Will this light be too strong (the 400 watt specifically)? What can I do to lessen the intensity of the 400 watt balasts? Get a dimmer? 2) To quarantine corals, what kind of lighting do I need for my quarantine tank? I have a 10 gallon QT tank. It's 12 inches tall and has a regular fluorescent 6500K light (not sure how many watts, but I am pretty sure it is weak). 3) My calcium levels in my current FOWLR tank are 600. I do NOT dose and assume that much calcium is in my tap water (I do not use RO/DI water). Will this much calcium kill the corals? What can I do to REDUCE the calcium levels? Will RO/DI water help? I tried to do a search to see if my question was previously asked, but the search function isn't working . Thanks in advance.

01/05/2009, 04:05 PM	#2
karaim Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 371	Any thoughts?

01/05/2009, 05:08 PM	#3
sasharotty Moved on to my couch Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: se michigan Posts: 1,065	As far as your lighting sounds like a good deal.What fixture is it?The 400 watt wont be a problem.I have 3 400 watt halides on a 29" tank.If you have lower light corals just place them lower in the tank with shade and sps up higher.Just keep an eye on em to insure their happy.As far as quarenting corals never done that maybe someone else can chime in with their thoughts,just properly acclimate them.As far as your 600 calcium,you have that much cause nothing is using it up,once you staart putting coral and invertabraes in there you will have to start dosing and plenty of water changes.When you start stocking your new reef tank you are going to want rodi water not tap water.Tapwater contains many metals that will be harmful to your coral and phosphates.Good luck!