Confused

[White Hair]

As some of you know, i am starting back after a long hiatus.After reading Dana’s article i am more confused than ever.From what i gather i have to know what corals i am going to go with before getting lights.Ok,right know i don’t know, with all the terms and thoughts i am thoroughly confused.I don’t think it should be that difficult to choose lighting for a29 gal tank.I know i will have a few fish and corals,which corals i don’t know.Can i not make a decision now without knowing, that will not cause problems in the future.Just general observation, i like look of 2 maybe 3 round incandescent looking fixtures, any help would be appreciated.

 

[Auquanut]

Lighting can be one of the most confusing aspects of reef keeping. There are so many options, and different corals demand different levels of light. I would recommend researching the LED options with separate blue and multi-spectrum lights and adjustable intensities. For that sized tank, there are quite a few options that won't break the bank. That way, as your choice of coral becomes more personalized, you don't have to necessarily upgrade your lighting. Just a thought.

 

[smartwater101]

I think he just means its good to know "what type" of coral. That way you can be prepared to light the tank with proper PAR. Softies, for example, can live in various intensities. Where SPS prefer a higher output.

If the budget is there, try to future proof your setup by getting lighting that will do well for all types of coral. Because once you get more and more into coral, the addiction will not let up lol. And then, when the time comes, simply research the type of coral you want to get, and find out whether it would do better towards to the top of the tank or the bottom.

Plenty of used Kessils a360we and Radion xr15s available in the selling section of R2R. Lots more LED options too. Having a smaller tank will make it a bit easier since you won't have to break the bank.