Magnifica lighting help

[WQreef]

Hi all,

I am new to the forum but not new to reefing. I’ve spent the better part of the day reading through all forums that mention Magnificas and I’m sort of being lazy and wanting some information all in one post. So if you have had any success, please guide me!

I am working on a build for a 135 and my lighting is the last thing left to figure out. I know I want to keep a magnifica, and have scaped the tank to have a spot on either side. My issue is making a decision on what lights/arrays I want to go with. I am considering a few options but would like to know which you would suggest.

4 AI 32 hds on hybrid fixture mounts
2- 250w Metal halide fixtures with black box type led fixtures on either side for supplementation
2-400w halide fixtures with leds for supplementation.
I am also not opposed to getting something else, depending on what has worked for you. Being completely honest, LEDs scare me. Halides are what I’ve used for the last 15 years or so and I’m nervous about going more “high tech”.

thanks for any and all advice!

 

[WQreef]

Anyone?

 

[LiamPM]

Hi all,

I am new to the forum but not new to reefing. I’ve spent the better part of the day reading through all forums that mention Magnificas and I’m sort of being lazy and wanting some information all in one post. So if you have had any success, please guide me!

I am working on a build for a 135 and my lighting is the last thing left to figure out. I know I want to keep a magnifica, and have scaped the tank to have a spot on either side. My issue is making a decision on what lights/arrays I want to go with. I am considering a few options but would like to know which you would suggest.

4 AI 32 hds on hybrid fixture mounts
2- 250w Metal halide fixtures with black box type led fixtures on either side for supplementation
2-400w halide fixtures with leds for supplementation.
I am also not opposed to getting something else, depending on what has worked for you. Being completely honest, LEDs scare me. Halides are what I’ve used for the last 15 years or so and I’m nervous about going more “high tech”.

thanks for any and all advice!

This might not be of much help at all but i have a large Magnifica. Shes about 1.5 feet diameter and is home to 5 Ocellaris. She sits directly under a Radion XR30 G3 at 65% total power, about 5 inches under the waterline at the top of the column. then the lights are about 8 - 10 inches from the water line. She took herself there about a year and a half ago and has stayed since. Worth mentioning she is also about 5 inches away directly in front of a Vortech MP40 at around 60%.

In my opinion from my experience - Flow is more important than lighting as long as lighting is in the higher range. Shes happy being blasted with light or even with less light when i put them in acclimation mode fro a week or two. But play with the flow and she can get upset.

 

[WQreef]

This might not be of much help at all but i have a large Magnifica. Shes about 1.5 feet diameter and is home to 5 Ocellaris. She sits directly under a Radion XR30 G3 at 65% total power, about 5 inches under the waterline at the top of the column. then the lights are about 8 - 10 inches from the water line. She took herself there about a year and a half ago and has stayed since. Worth mentioning she is also about 5 inches away directly in front of a Vortech MP40 at around 60%.

In my opinion from my experience - Flow is more important than lighting as long as lighting is in the higher range. Shes happy being blasted with light or even with less light when i put them in acclimation mode fro a week or two. But play with the flow and she can get upset.

What spectrum are you running (or close to it)?
how many hours per day? I’m really pretty set on one, I just want to start with the best hand possible. Thanks!

 

[LiamPM]

What spectrum are you running (or close to it)?
how many hours per day? I’m really pretty set on one, I just want to start with the best hand possible. Thanks!

The Radions are set to a slightly modified version of the LPS template but I believe it’s close to 20k spectrum. They run from 11am to 10pm but with just blues slowly ramping for an hour either side so 9 hours at full spectrum. The fact you are prepared for one will play a huge factor in being successful. I don’t believe they are as hard to keep as some do say but getting a healthy specimen to begin with is the hardest part. I find they will almost always go for the highest part on the rock work closest to the lights no matter how powerful the lights are and will try to find the strongest flow. If you pre set up for this with a spot in mind there will be much less roaming.

They are in my eyes the better of the Anemones to keep, much less roaming and overall less care needed but a healthy specimen to begin with is vital. I have never intentionally fed her either, she just sits looking pretty..

 

[ca1ore]

You want a high pedestal spot with SPS level lighting and chaotic flow.

 

[WQreef]

You want a high pedestal spot with SPS level lighting and chaotic flow.

I’ve got a pretty flat pedestal structure on either side of the tank, both about 8” under the surface of the water. Running a gyre on one side and an MP40 on the other so either side it’ll have lots of chaotic flow. Plus, my returns will have random flow generators on the ends just to keep it happy.

 

[ca1ore]

….. and then keep in mind that many/most mags arrive with bacterial infections that require treatment. Check out OrionN's anemone treatment threa over on RC from 2013.

 

[myzislow]

I will never keep a magnifica in a full blown reef tank ever again...especially if said reef tank housed many high end fish that I cared about. Like Liam stated, magnifica will roam for seemingly no reason, even after they've been established in the same spot for a considerable amount of time. They love intense light for sure, but flow is equally important; as they need random chaotic flow along with strong lighting to stay happy.

After mine decided it wanted to roam into my mp40 and get chopped up, consequently wiping out my entire high end fish collection that I had for years, I decided never again. I rehabbed him back to health luckily, and then set up a species specific AIO innovative marine tank specifically for him and my clowns. Best decision ever, no more worrying about it roaming and the anemone is much happier now.

It gets blasted by it's own xr15g4 pro at 80% total intensity based on the sps Blue+ template. Flow is random, provided by a single mp 10 at 90% and the return pump from the IM tank. Super simple setup and the Anemone has been thriving for over 2 years now in this setup. He's huge and probably will need a new tank in the future, but for now it's a perfect setup.