lighting for a 25 gal reef

billydan · 04/01/2010, 03:55 PM

hey i have a 25 gal cube tank with a 150w metal halide pendant 14k. i have one anemone and 5 corals. ive noticed many of my corals dont like being at the top of the rock work. im concidering selling the MH and buying some power compacts or something instead. please give me any suggestions.
thanks

Saltcity · 04/01/2010, 04:26 PM

Is this an April fools joke!?!?

I had a 24g nano with power compacts. 132watts and it did pretty good but nothing every really looked "Great". I'm gonna say you should maybe just raise the light if you can or consider T5's maybe. Especially with the Anemone....?

my .02cents

dossfj · 04/02/2010, 03:50 AM

Personal opinion, power compacts are useless. As stated raise the bulb up so you're not burning everything at the top of the tank. And to get growth and a pretty coral you'll need multiple bulbs. Things grow best in lower temp lighting ie 6500k to 10000k lighting but the xooenthaellae that live on your corals and make them pretty need higher temp lighting ie 15000k to 20000k (blue) light for photosynthesis.

rwb500 · 04/02/2010, 05:44 AM

i have a 150W halide over my 12G nanocube. its definitely not too much for your tank, you just need to position everything correctly.

nvdiz · 04/02/2010, 05:45 AM

did you acclimate the corals to the lighting?

Circleofdocs · 07/24/2011, 08:41 AM

LEDs?

cloak · 07/24/2011, 12:43 PM

Can't you just move the corals down lower in the tank? You could also try replacing your 14K bulb with a 20K bulb the next time you need a new one.

J-Burns · 07/24/2011, 09:09 PM

I wouldn't spend the money on PC's if I had a halide. I run PC's on a 29 and they do fine though. My Bubble anemone also does good.

04/01/2010, 03:55 PM	#1
billydan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 11	lighting for a 25 gal reef hey i have a 25 gal cube tank with a 150w metal halide pendant 14k. i have one anemone and 5 corals. ive noticed many of my corals dont like being at the top of the rock work. im concidering selling the MH and buying some power compacts or something instead. please give me any suggestions. thanks

04/01/2010, 04:26 PM	#2
Saltcity Moved On Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 4,297	Is this an April fools joke!?!? I had a 24g nano with power compacts. 132watts and it did pretty good but nothing every really looked "Great". I'm gonna say you should maybe just raise the light if you can or consider T5's maybe. Especially with the Anemone....? my .02cents

04/02/2010, 03:50 AM	#3
dossfj Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 140	Personal opinion, power compacts are useless. As stated raise the bulb up so you're not burning everything at the top of the tank. And to get growth and a pretty coral you'll need multiple bulbs. Things grow best in lower temp lighting ie 6500k to 10000k lighting but the xooenthaellae that live on your corals and make them pretty need higher temp lighting ie 15000k to 20000k (blue) light for photosynthesis.

04/02/2010, 05:44 AM	#4
rwb500 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Atlanta Posts: 1,694	i have a 150W halide over my 12G nanocube. its definitely not too much for your tank, you just need to position everything correctly.

04/02/2010, 05:45 AM	#5
nvdiz Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Skokie Posts: 1,345	did you acclimate the corals to the lighting?

07/24/2011, 08:41 AM	#6
Circleofdocs Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Central Coast California Posts: 98	LEDs?

07/24/2011, 12:43 PM	#7
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Can't you just move the corals down lower in the tank? You could also try replacing your 14K bulb with a 20K bulb the next time you need a new one.

07/24/2011, 09:09 PM	#8
J-Burns Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Charleston, WV Posts: 235	I wouldn't spend the money on PC's if I had a halide. I run PC's on a 29 and they do fine though. My Bubble anemone also does good.