How many watts do I need??

[alex_d04]

I've been looking for some lights latley and should have asked this before my search. How many watts of light would I need to light a 46gallon aquarium and keep a wide range of different corals/mushrooms/anenamies and fish. Will 130watt be ok??

 

[balogh03]

i think that the general rule is about 5watts per gallon, but it depends on how serious with corals you want to get.

 

[coil1002]

There is a watts per gallon rule I think it is 2 to 6. Six being the upper limit but most people think it’s just a guideline. I would say for a 46 gallon you would want at least 250 watt Metal halide but that’s just one mans opinion. What I would do is get a 250 watt metal halide 10k and 2 55 watt actinic compact fluorescents have the pc's come on 1 hour before and hour after the metal halide does. I am sure many others will chime in as well

 

[carlos_fb]

That depends on the kind of lighting that you're using, MH, VHO, PC, T5?

 

[moortim]

I have a 96watt power compact hood over a 10 gallon aquarium and I consider that 'adequate' I would love a metal halide though.
More specifically what kind of corals (species) do you want to keep?

 

[alex_d04]

SPS, LPS... lots of Soft , zoas.

 

[moortim]

I have a 130watt pc hood over my 55 and I don't like it at all. I would prefer 2 x 175 watt metal halides. For a 46 I (which I think is a similar depth, correct me if I am wrong) I would definitely recommend metal halides, especially if you want sps, IME most of them will not be happy under 130watt pc's.

 

[james734]

I would agree. For SPS's I would recommend at lease 1x175w MH peferable 2 so not to limit SPS placement within the tank.