10 gal nano lighting

onlyonelikeme · Sep 25, 2012

Well i had to setup a 10 gal nano for my papua new guinea clownfish today. My tang wanted to bully him a little too much. So i got to liking the nano aquarium look in the bedroom so i want to pretty much deck out his little home him and possible one other fish will be in it also i want to keep plenty of coral with it. Now the question i have is i want to get the cheapest lighting that will keep coral and make them grow as well at the same time not making the tank too hot. What are some cheap suggestions?

jonbar1 · Sep 25, 2012

Kind of depends on what corals you want to keep and how handy you are. If you can solder, DiY LED isn't too expensive. If you just want softies and some LPS you could do a couple 36w PC 50/50s. T5HO fixtures in that size or a 70w or 150w MH fixture are also options but get a bit more expensive.

SeahorseKeeper · Sep 25, 2012

Do you have a price range in mind?

Smnparish · Sep 25, 2012

I love using t5HO, right in between heat and cost wise of MH and LED, and as long as you get a good enough fixture (should be fairly easy to light a 10g) you could keep anything (light-wise).

onlyonelikeme · Sep 25, 2012

my price range is no more than about 50-75 mainly because my main display takes most of the free money lol. I plan on having a monti and prolly a frag of birdsnest but mainly gonna be soft and lps of course what gets to big there can go to my main display

seamonkey84 · Sep 25, 2012

I have a 24" 4x24w t5ho over my ten, but I went nuts and have it mostly stocked with Acro and a maxima clam. But on all my other tanks, a 5.5 maxi carpet tank and a 12" cube, I have par30/38 per them. I honeslt want to put them over my 10 as well as the bulb replacement cost per year plus power is making me hate t5, but love the color options. That said, the zooman72 full spectrum par38 I'd by far my favorite out of the four different bulbs I own. Two par bulbs will do a ten gallon fine, go with one that has more than just cool white (perefably neutral white acually)and royal blue. Prices vary but will cost about 100 per bulb and clamp combo.
Full spec par38 over 12" cube