Acropora and Power Compacts

aiv · 06/26/2007, 12:52 PM

Does anyone out there have success keeping acropora with power compact lighting? Is it even possible? I just bought an aqualight with 260 watts for my 55 gallon and now I think it's probably too weak for anything cool like that.

At first all I wanted was bubble tips and some LPS, but after seeing people's tanks here I want to upgrade already. I feel like I just wasted 300 bucks!

reeferman06 · 06/26/2007, 12:56 PM

you would be pushing it, but you can keep some monti's and some sps, but they would have to be close to the top.

Treef · 06/26/2007, 12:58 PM

I am using pc lights for my 20 gallon, and my brother gave me a acropora frag that i keep up top. Its been a month now and it seems to be doing okay, its starting to turn a little green now, which im told is a good thing. I dunno what type of acropora it is, so perhaps its some kind that doesnt need strong lighting.

Toddrtrex · 06/26/2007, 12:58 PM

I just took a frag of my monti digi out of my 58g ( 2*175 MH) and put it in my 75g (6*65 PC) just to see what happens, I have it as high up on the rock work as I can. But, I just did that last night, so to soon to tell.

aiv · 06/26/2007, 01:02 PM

have many watts of pc light do you have treef? and thanks to the other guys for your advice.

Aquabucket · 06/26/2007, 01:06 PM

You can keep plenty of types of acroporas under PCs. The problem is they will most likely turn brown or green and won't grow very quickly.

Treef · 06/26/2007, 01:22 PM

I have 65watt pc lights, actinic and daylight

MTB · 06/26/2007, 01:24 PM

I had problems with browning out. With no growth. I had five frags I traded for zoos.

aiv · 06/26/2007, 01:31 PM

Where did you place your acropora frags MTB? really high in the tank and still no growth or color? what kind of acropora did you have? sorry for so many questions.

flyyyguy · 06/26/2007, 02:49 PM

keep in mind that "watts per gallon" means nothing. If you were to measure by that I only have 3.3 watts per gallon over my sps dominated 225.

It happens to be 3-250 watt 10 k XM's, and I assure you that it is plenty of light for anything. In comparison youve got 4.7 watts over your tank with the 260 w of pc, and it will be marginal at best.

Anyway, back on topic. You will be able to keep some high in the tank as said, but you will never get all that great of colors out of them.

purebullet417 · 06/26/2007, 03:09 PM

i have a blue millie at the top of my uncles 125 that went from a 2" single branch to about a 6 inch colony with about 6-7 branches in about 8 months. this is underr 6x96w pcs

mikekman · 06/26/2007, 04:06 PM

You can grow acros under pcs, but they won't maintain good color and like others have said, will probably brown out.

I've tried it and you have to places the acros like inches away from the PCs in order for them to thrive. Monti caps and digitatas did fine but other sps didn't do well.

T5 HOs will do great and so will Halides. If you are low on money, Hagen has a new T5 fixture called the GLO or something like that. They are T5 HOs and they are a light fixture. I saw 2x39 watters for $113 at a LFS, on DR Foster and smith its probably way cheaper. 3 sets of those could easily help you grow some sps.

TWallace · 06/26/2007, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mikekman
You can grow acros under pcs, but they won't maintain good color and like others have said, will probably brown out.

I've tried it and you have to places the acros like inches away from the PCs in order for them to thrive. Monti caps and digitatas did fine but other sps didn't do well.

There are other less light demanding SPS than just montis that the OP may be interested in (in case acros all brown out). Stylophora and pocillopora both come in very pretty colors and don't need nearly as much light as most acros. They'd almost definitely keep their colors under PC. I've got a gorgeous neon green stylo, it's one of my favorite corals.

06/26/2007, 12:52 PM	#1
aiv Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 55	Acropora and Power Compacts Does anyone out there have success keeping acropora with power compact lighting? Is it even possible? I just bought an aqualight with 260 watts for my 55 gallon and now I think it's probably too weak for anything cool like that. At first all I wanted was bubble tips and some LPS, but after seeing people's tanks here I want to upgrade already. I feel like I just wasted 300 bucks!

06/26/2007, 12:56 PM	#2
reeferman06 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Raleigh/Down by the river side Posts: 440	you would be pushing it, but you can keep some monti's and some sps, but they would have to be close to the top. __________________ Marrel Current Tank Info: 55 gallon reef- 2x 110w Actinic VHO's 2x 175w 14k Metal Halides, Pair of Saddle back Clowns, SPS, Colt Coral, shrooms, LPS, Bubble coral, Hammer, Crocea, Zoanthinds, Xenia, Blasto

06/26/2007, 12:58 PM	#3
Treef Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New York City Posts: 70	I am using pc lights for my 20 gallon, and my brother gave me a acropora frag that i keep up top. Its been a month now and it seems to be doing okay, its starting to turn a little green now, which im told is a good thing. I dunno what type of acropora it is, so perhaps its some kind that doesnt need strong lighting. __________________ My hands smell like algae... Current Tank Info: 20G mixed reef

06/26/2007, 12:58 PM	#4
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	I just took a frag of my monti digi out of my 58g ( 2175 MH) and put it in my 75g (665 PC) just to see what happens, I have it as high up on the rock work as I can. But, I just did that last night, so to soon to tell. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

06/26/2007, 01:06 PM	#6
Aquabucket Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Green Bay, Wi. Posts: 4,455	You can keep plenty of types of acroporas under PCs. The problem is they will most likely turn brown or green and won't grow very quickly. __________________ "Just a drop in the bucket"

06/26/2007, 01:02 PM	#5
aiv Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 55	have many watts of pc light do you have treef? and thanks to the other guys for your advice.

06/26/2007, 01:22 PM	#7
Treef Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New York City Posts: 70	I have 65watt pc lights, actinic and daylight __________________ My hands smell like algae... Current Tank Info: 20G mixed reef

06/26/2007, 01:24 PM	#8
MTB Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Illannoy Posts: 1,365	I had problems with browning out. With no growth. I had five frags I traded for zoos. __________________ Got Frags? Current Tank Info: 40 breeder. Kessil lights. Reef octopus skimmer. Vortec mp40 x2.

06/26/2007, 01:31 PM	#9
aiv Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 55	Where did you place your acropora frags MTB? really high in the tank and still no growth or color? what kind of acropora did you have? sorry for so many questions.

06/26/2007, 02:49 PM	#10
flyyyguy King of the white corals Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,239	keep in mind that "watts per gallon" means nothing. If you were to measure by that I only have 3.3 watts per gallon over my sps dominated 225. It happens to be 3-250 watt 10 k XM's, and I assure you that it is plenty of light for anything. In comparison youve got 4.7 watts over your tank with the 260 w of pc, and it will be marginal at best. Anyway, back on topic. You will be able to keep some high in the tank as said, but you will never get all that great of colors out of them. __________________ I like holding hands, snuggling, and long walks on the beach

06/26/2007, 03:09 PM	#11
purebullet417 Rimless Reef Club Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: long island ny Posts: 1,509	i have a blue millie at the top of my uncles 125 that went from a 2" single branch to about a 6 inch colony with about 6-7 branches in about 8 months. this is underr 6x96w pcs __________________ My 57 Gallon Rimless Build Thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2341582 Current Tank Info: 57 Gallon Rimless

06/26/2007, 04:06 PM	#12
mikekman Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: CA Posts: 1,064	You can grow acros under pcs, but they won't maintain good color and like others have said, will probably brown out. I've tried it and you have to places the acros like inches away from the PCs in order for them to thrive. Monti caps and digitatas did fine but other sps didn't do well. T5 HOs will do great and so will Halides. If you are low on money, Hagen has a new T5 fixture called the GLO or something like that. They are T5 HOs and they are a light fixture. I saw 2x39 watters for $113 at a LFS, on DR Foster and smith its probably way cheaper. 3 sets of those could easily help you grow some sps.