Enough light for ???

sn4265 · 12/08/2010, 02:08 PM

Most of my tank parameters are in my sig, but I have a 120 gal with 4x54w T5 bulbs, 2 10000K and 2 Actinics. Right now I have a Frogspawn, mushroom, Platies, and a Toadstool Leather. I'm wondering what other corals would be good additions with my current lighting setup? I'm liking the looks of several Zoas, and also Caulastreas look pretty interesting to me. My reading indicates that these need "Moderate" lighting but I'm really not sure what qualifies as moderate?

One other item of note... This is still a new tank. I've had it up and running about a month and a half now. Everything is stable and the current corals and fish all appear to be doing great. Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

seapug · 12/08/2010, 02:22 PM

I'm not sure what the depth is on your tank, but you're probably more along in the low light category with the current setup. Personally I'd put an 8 bulb T5 HO or 2 X 250W MH over a typical 120.

Yaqngie · 12/08/2010, 02:25 PM

IMO you should have no problem keeping any of that. you might have to try different locations in your tank but you should be fine.

sn4265 · 12/08/2010, 02:47 PM

My intention is to add an LED setup to provide additional lighting before moving to anything more demanding of illumination. I just wanted to get some opinions on if the current lighting would be sufficient for these types of corals. Thanks.

Mylilreef · 12/08/2010, 05:36 PM

i would say you shouldn't have much of a problem with softies, leathers, zoas, or LPS. you may even be able to keep a couple of the lesser demanding of the SPS placed higher up in the tank, mid you those wouldn't probably grow very fast or anything like that . but the other you should be alright with. if you see something not opening up the way it used to, just move it up closer to the lights.

12/08/2010, 02:08 PM	#1
sn4265 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 570	Enough light for ??? Most of my tank parameters are in my sig, but I have a 120 gal with 4x54w T5 bulbs, 2 10000K and 2 Actinics. Right now I have a Frogspawn, mushroom, Platies, and a Toadstool Leather. I'm wondering what other corals would be good additions with my current lighting setup? I'm liking the looks of several Zoas, and also Caulastreas look pretty interesting to me. My reading indicates that these need "Moderate" lighting but I'm really not sure what qualifies as moderate? One other item of note... This is still a new tank. I've had it up and running about a month and a half now. Everything is stable and the current corals and fish all appear to be doing great. Thanks in advance for any recommendations. __________________ First saltwater tank setup 11/6/10: 80 lbs LS and 150 lbs LR, Aquamaxx EM200 skimmer & Phosban Reactor Photon 48 LED pH 8.0, Temp 78, NO3 ~0, Mg 1400, Ca 420, Alk 7.5 Current Tank Info: 120 gal with 40B sump with fuge, pair of black Occellaris Clowns, purple Firefish, Coral Banded Shrimp, Foxface

12/08/2010, 02:22 PM	#2
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	I'm not sure what the depth is on your tank, but you're probably more along in the low light category with the current setup. Personally I'd put an 8 bulb T5 HO or 2 X 250W MH over a typical 120. __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

12/08/2010, 02:47 PM	#4
sn4265 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 570	My intention is to add an LED setup to provide additional lighting before moving to anything more demanding of illumination. I just wanted to get some opinions on if the current lighting would be sufficient for these types of corals. Thanks. __________________ First saltwater tank setup 11/6/10: 80 lbs LS and 150 lbs LR, Aquamaxx EM200 skimmer & Phosban Reactor Photon 48 LED pH 8.0, Temp 78, NO3 ~0, Mg 1400, Ca 420, Alk 7.5 Current Tank Info: 120 gal with 40B sump with fuge, pair of black Occellaris Clowns, purple Firefish, Coral Banded Shrimp, Foxface

12/08/2010, 05:36 PM	#5
Mylilreef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 304	i would say you shouldn't have much of a problem with softies, leathers, zoas, or LPS. you may even be able to keep a couple of the lesser demanding of the SPS placed higher up in the tank, mid you those wouldn't probably grow very fast or anything like that . but the other you should be alright with. if you see something not opening up the way it used to, just move it up closer to the lights. __________________ -Cory Current Tank Info: 55g mixed reef (upgrading to 150g Tall), 30g Long w/softies(soon to be a sump for the 150g), 20g Tall mixed, 5g w/softies, 10g quarantine that somehow turned into another softy tank

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12/08/2010, 02:25 PM	#3
Yaqngie Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: ILM, NC Posts: 85	IMO you should have no problem keeping any of that. you might have to try different locations in your tank but you should be fine.