Lighting issues?

mbert0311 · Sep 22, 2015

I have a 29 gal salt water tank with a 10 gal refugime. I have a standard issue over the lid light with a Coral life bulb in it. I have 6 baby anemenies and several star fish ATM. I want to know if phrasing my light will help keep the anemenies from moving around the tank so much and if it truly effects growing of future corals

Lab_Adam · Sep 22, 2015

I'm not really sure what you have but you may not have enough light and the nems are trying to find a good spot but can't so they keep moving around.

CoralFreak_350 · Sep 23, 2015

In terms of growing future corals I would definitely say an upgrade is in order. I have a 29 gallon myself and I ended up going through three different sets of leds to find one that my corals really responded too. It wasnt that price was an issue but got recommendations and they ended up going out the window. Lighting is huge with coral growth and coloration and is not something to put off in my opinion. If you buy an LED unit in anticipation of future corals and something of quality you will not have to buy it again. Although my buddy has a T5 fixture and the colors he achieves is definitely different than mine in its own unique way. I started with the two bulb compact Flo's that the BioCube comes with and had to upgrade quick once I started adding corals.Hopefully this helps and if you have further questions please do not hesitate to PM me.

mbert0311 · Sep 23, 2015

So what do you use now for lighting so I don't have to keep updating and save change

hybridazn · Sep 23, 2015

If you are using the standardbsingle bulb fixture that is def not enough to keep anything alive. If costs are a concern check out the classified sections on the forum for great deals on second hand stuff.

CoralFreak_350 · Sep 23, 2015

I bought a Reef Breeders LED fixture. I bought the nano light which runs less than 150 but my tank is essentially a cube and I took the optics off each LED to cover the spread.Every fixture I had I was a LED. The two previous was a Current Tru Lumen LED and a Orbit LED controllable fixture. In my opinion there is better out there than the Current Products. Seemed to grow more algae than coral.

mbert0311 · Sep 23, 2015

So your saying led isn't the way to go? I was thinking of going for a two build t5 of some sort want sure if that was the best option. I want to have a night time and a day time light.. I work till late and want to see the tank at night

mbert0311 · Sep 23, 2015

A two bulb t5**

CoralFreak_350 · Sep 23, 2015

In my opinion LED has done it for me just took me a few tries to get it right. T5 will undoubtedly give you the best colors out of your coral but can be costly because bulbs have to be replaced and they use more electricity to run than an LED fixture. Also because my tank is a cube there is far less selection of bulb colors for a T5 fixture. therefore I would have to hang a fixture with bulbs atleast 20" to get the most options on bulb color. LED's did it for me in my opinion.