Lighting for a 40gal tank

[cavyroo]

Lighting for a 40gal tank...

Its 4ft long..and 16-18in high...about.


Rule isnt it..4watts of light per gallon correct?

SO..abou 160watts for the 40..

I have on it 130 right now, but I am just not having luck with any soft corals..(water is good to go..been up for a couple months now)

I am curious..do you all think..260watt would cook that tank?

2 65watt day light
2 65watt actinic
ESU compact lights

Think that is too much?

 

[gehidore]

I am curious..do you all think..260watt would cook that tank?

From what I have seen your inhabitants play a major role in deciding this:

• Do you have any "sensitive" Corals?
• Do you have shy fish? <night time critters included>
• Any anomones that dwell towards the surface? (It/they might just walk away if it is too much for them, then return later bleached and skimpy)
• How much algae can your 'cleanup crew' deal with?

 

[bradreef]

I fit is a 40 gallon 4ft tank then it isn't very high. should be good with about anything. I would say 4-65 watt pc's or a couple of 110watt vho's maybe 3. 3-4 t5's will work also. you have 2-65 watt pc's now at least add another 2-65's or 1-96watt 3 foot bulb.

 

[cavyroo]

gehidore-

I am looking for the 2 40gal tanks at the store. I have had people tell me I need more lighting. I dont have any actinic on those tanks. And the cauliflower coral..went "blah"...

The 40gal..with the cabbage coral..SEEMS to be doing well..its the other one..that doesnt seem to....
Plus with actinic, it would make that tank more attractive..and from my readings..I could be wrong..says its better for the corals and anemones...from what all I have read.
Only fish I keep in there are the sailfin *lawnmower* blenny, mandarins, and engineer gobies. Then the snails and hermys..

Misty

 

[gehidore]

Misty,

In the shop like that there are two things you need to think about.

What part of the spectrum do the corals in *this* tank use?

Is the tank still athetically pleasing with the light that is *required* by the 'animals'?

If you knew which soft coral and which polyps <ect> were high and low light animals you could seperate them into two tanks, one with bright light, and one with not so bright light.

IMO the tank with das cabages in it needs to have a blue 6500 to 10000K <maybe even 20000K but I doubt it> lamp on it. This will help bring out Greens, Pinks, Purples, Blues ... Doubled with one or two 6500 'daylight' lamps would, again IMO, make a perfect lighting setup for one of the 40Gals. Giving the tank a nice 'look' and giving the corals what they need. I would say this tank would be good for most of the non brown animals. Anomone's, Star Polyps, Pulsing Xenia, ect.

 

[cavyroo]

Thank you. I am going to be getting some better lights come next tuesday. I am going to order them Monday.

When I set them up..they were to be for just live rock and shrimps..etc. But then we wanted to try some softies..etc.

As one does..learn as we go. lol

Oh, just in case..can you call me at the store this afternoon? I left a message with your mom, cause I couldnt find your number.

Misty

 

[The R/C Man]

Well the lighting will depend on the inhabitants currently in the tank and any that may be added in the future. Please note that the watts per gallon method is very generalized and I recommend against using it. MH and florecsent lighting differ in the way they distribute light. MH is a point light source where as florecsent covers a larger area and doesn't penetrate into the water as well as MH lighting does. I would recommend two 175MH bulbs. This way you will be covered if you ever decide to add a clam or sps coral to your tank. From my understanding soft corals that are open to full extension are doing so for the lack of lighting. IMO It would be better to have to much light and raise them a bit than not have enough......

 

[gehidore]

Thank you. I am going to be getting some better lights come next tuesday. I am going to order them Monday.

When I set them up..they were to be for just live rock and shrimps..etc. But then we wanted to try some softies..etc.

As one does..learn as we go. lol

YAY, I got a job <thanks>.

After comunicating with a few reefers I know we decided that you would be best to start with 1 Blue 10K and 2 10K "daylight" or 'natural' lights. If you or your corals don't find them adequate you could try adding a second Blue or a third daylight.

-Jordan

 

[cavyroo]

Jordan-

No problem. When I found out you were being interviewed..talking from ya the nite before..I wanted you there cause you know things! lol Thanks again for coming today..

Well, Sunday..you can help me figure out the lighting. The tops of those 40gal..is not wide enough to have 2 seperate fixtures on them...SO..do they make I wonder a compact fixture that only has 3 bulbs? I SUPPOSE I can always do what RCman said..is to get the lights I was talking about..and raise it if needed. I can try it that way..and if it dont work, I can always return the lights.

I am not going to go MH in these tanks...yet....They are not my tanks per say..but the stores I work at. I just want to make it better for the critters inside along with adding the actinic to bring out the greens and colors.


misty

 

[gehidore]

I am not going to go MH in these tanks...

Misty,

Lost me there.

As for the lights, what would Jim say to a custom built hood?
I enjoyed goofing about with that sump today <although it was kinda of :shock: when I realized I missed those parts when I was gluing :/.

-Jordan