Lighting with an Aquacultured Live Rock startup?

[Kitjo]

When you are using aquacultured live rock from the very beginning of a tank, how is light managed?

I haven't even got a tank yet. We are still in the planning stages.

Years ago, before the military took me overseas, I was planning on setting up a tank with TBS's Package. I had actually been invited to dive with Richard (owner of TBS) to pick up my rock!

15 years later, it seems that starting with aquacultured rock is not everyone's cup of tea. I believe I understand, as much as a person without a reef tank, the pro's and con's.

So IF I was going to set up a reef tank using aquacultured live rock from the beginning, it seems that I would want to have my lights on from the very beginning. Aquacultured rock already has lots of life on it, including life that requires light, and I would want to keep that light available to that life from the start.

Is this correct?

Thanks!

 

[john90009]

In my opinion I would always run the lights. People are afraid of the “ugly stage” and unpleasant algea. Well, this algea is eatting up and residual phosphates and nitrates coming out of the rock. This algea is also feeding microbes and microfauna in the tank. I would run the lights, that’s just my opinion tho.

 

[PatW]

It depends.

If you want photosynthetic coral, you will need seriously high powered lights especially if you want to have SPS corals.

If you want soft corals and other non photosynthetic organisms, just a light that lights the tank adequately for your purposes will do fine.

You can go to an online vender like Bulk Reef Supply to get an idea of what sort of stuff is out there. They will not have everything, but their selection gives you are starting point for planning purposes.