Lighting

[Reef Monkey]

I'm planning on getting a 12 gallon tank and I had a couple questions on lighting. What type of lighting do I need if I just want to grow soft corals. I don't have a ton of money right now but if possible I would like to get some lighting that will bring out the full color of the corals and which allows them to grow properly. Anything that I get I would ideally like to be able to use in future bigger tanks. Where is a good place to go to get something that is reasonably priced. I live in the Edgewood, WA area. I was looking at a 75 watt metal halide, would that be sufficient enough in a 12 gallon tank?

 

[dragoneggs]

Hey Reef,

Welcome! You don't need MH bulb for that size. Others with nano tanks will chime in here with suggestions for sure. A rule of thumb is 3 watts per gallon... however this may not be a good rule for small tanks. A small tank is a definitely a challenge in its own right as it is easy to affect the parameters! Good luck to you.

 

[Reef Monkey]

What would I need for hard corals? Sorry if the questions sound dumb, I'm just trying to learn as much as I can before I get my tank. I also do realize that the tank needs to cycle through before I should put any livestock into it.

 

[hooked82]

A 75w MH would do just fine in that tank for softies, and maybe even some SPS depending on placement and depth of tank. You can also go with some pc bulbs, that way you can go with actinic's, blue's, and 10K bulbs to give a variety of color. That all depends on your taste though.
When you were to goto a bigger tank, depending on size, the 75w MH will probably not work as you would go up to 150, 175, or 250 watt MH's. If you want to get something that you can use later, maybe go with some T-5's, VHO's, or PC bulbs, so if you step up to a bigger tank with MH's, they can be used for supplementation. If you got the dimensions of the tank it would be easier to give a good answer.

Hope this helps

 

[Reef Monkey]

Thanks for the different lighting suggestions. Do you happen to know of an affordable place to get one of these.

 

[Meche]

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Specifically, I've noticed Aquacave, marinedepot, and premium aquatics all have a nice selection.