MH and Corals

[rudeanduncouth]

I have a 55g mixed reef tank that I am tearing down, and selling to fund my 125g. However, there are a few things I plan to keep but I am unsure on how they will do under the new lighting. The new lighting is 3x400w MH and 2x80 VHO. The corals I wish to keep are Fungia, branching Frogspawn, and Star Polyps. I thing they Fungia and the Frogspawn should be ok, but I am concerned about the Star Polyps. I really like them, and have seen some amazing colonies that I would like to replicate, but I fear the lighting will be too much for them. What are your thoughts?

 

[moortim]

First I just wanted to say hi, it is nice to know there is someone else from Moscow Idaho on here. I noticed your profile says you work for a LFS, which one? Maybe we have met.
As for the corals, how big of a change will they go through? What lighting does your 55 have on it?
Tim

 

[wrightme43]

My star polyops made the change from pc 4 x 96watt. to 2x 250watt M.H. just fine. Now I am trying to kill them all. Pink and green. Torch corals fragments stuck in the middle of them seems to kill them good. In another tank they went from 6 x 96watt pcs to 3 x 250 watt M.H. just fine. Going crazy in that tank too.

 

[rudeanduncouth]

All sounds awesome. They are currently under 4x65w PC. I have only had them about a week but they are already spreading off the rock they were on.

I guess I could probably update that a bit. I used to manage Pet Service Center, but after we moved I haven't really done anything especially since the store isn't open, and I haven't talked to the owner is a couple of weeks. If you came in to the store during the winter during the week then chances are you talked to me.

 

[moortim]

Yep, I remember you, my wife and I came in a lot right before the store closed and bought a bunch of marine stuff. You sold us a coral banded shrimp and a couple small corals. When will the new store be up and running? We need a good salt water store, Kevinpo's store in Spokane is great but we don't go up there very often.

Tim

 

[rudeanduncouth]

So would I be safe in assuming that my Xenia and mushrooms would melt under those lights?

I actually have no idea if it will or not. I go up to Kevinpo store every other week or so, so if you need anything let me know. I am actually going up there tomorrow to get the lights in question. Also check out Moscow Fish Club.

 

[billm]

How deep is that tank 3x400mh sounds like overkill to me.

 

[rudeanduncouth]

It is 22" deep. I have talked to enough people that I don't think it will be a problem, especially if it placed high enough. Not to mention I can always use for a bigger tank later if need be.

 

[NaH2O]

billm - Welcome to Reef Frontiers!!!

 

[kevinpo]

Hi Danny,
Put the GSP's down low near the sand level. The Xenia will grow fine just inches from 400W halides. I'm not sure you will want Xenia in your tank unless it is the blue type as it can become a chore to keep it trimmed back.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[rudeanduncouth]

yeah after talking with you at the store the only non-sps, non-lps I really plan to keep is the gsp.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

sorry for the delay in reply, my friends

Wow... all I can say is wow! And not in a good way

This lighting is easily 2 X more than you need. At best (blue MHs 14-20K raised high off the water) it is a waste of electricty. I am certain that you can illuminate this aquarium better and more efficiently with less light.

At least consider losing one of the three MHs and put them under good reflectors or even on moving light tracks. At most this tank needs 600-700 watts of MH light... and flourescents on a tank this depth serve only as aesthetics (not needed at all since all trade Mh lamps have adequate blue spectra for corals)

There are many better ways to go here IMO... three 250 watt 10K lamps would let you keep most anything in this tank. Again... no flourescents needed unless you want to add them for aesthetics.

 

[rudeanduncouth]

The VHOs are merely there for aesthetics (offset the generally yellowness from a 10k MH bubl), and that is pretty much my understanding of all actinic bulbs anyways. On the bright side electricity is cheap here, $0.065 a KWH. Anyways, can you out compete mother nature? I bow to your knowledge and experience and ask this as a serious question.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

understood, bro... but electricty being "cheap" does not enter the equation. It is still a waste of a precious resource that not all folks have the benefit of at any price. If we truly are empathetic aquarists, if not empathetic people at large, then we must be mindful of a responsible use of all living resources.

More light is not better either for most all corals. Quite the contrary. Of the three principal influenes on coral growth (within reasonable params) - Light, Water Flow, Feeding... lighting is a distant third place as an influence! Yet aquarists spend themost time, money and energy obsessing over it.

Corals can/do adapt over a very wide range of light on the reef. But they cannot be deprived of water flow. And feeding easily makes up for any deficiency in light while the reverse is not true (or even biologically possible past the compensation point for zoox)

What you need to do is light the tank to the lowest common denominator of a hopefully compatible group of species and then feed the more demanding species to compensate for their slight deficiency (even heavy fish bioloads take care of this)

 

[rudeanduncouth]

Well, the original plan when I bought these light is that they would not be on a 125g forever, probably not even for a year (upgrading tanks will be the plan). Not mention that 3x400w MH was only about $80 more than 3x250w MH. So what possibility of problems could you foresee happening with this setup?

 

[moortim]

I am a great believer in making things last as long as possible. While 400 watt lights might be overkill on a 125, if you are planning a tank in the foreseeable future that would need 400's and they won't cause problems with your current livestock I would go for it.
Of course my opinion is not always that accurate.

Tim

 

[Anthony Calfo]

it makes no sense to have to change 3 lamps instead of 2 and/or to run electricty for 3 lamps instead of 2 (or 3 higher watt lamps instead of 3 lower watt lamps) for even a short period of time (months). There is no savings to be had because by the point of diminishing returns is so soon in front of you that you might as well opt for the lower lights or go straight for the larger aquarium.

Moreover, this much light will harm more corals thanit will support. Unless you are explicitly stating that you are setting up a shallow reef biotope and will limit yourself (severely by species and strictly at that) to those corals... you will have the same problems so many others do (photoinbition over time). You will be exluding hammer, torch, corallimorphs, and many other popular corals.

This is a classic abuse of light from common misinformation (sps keepers preaching to non-sps keepers) IMO

 

[Wieselsport]

This is off the topic but I lived in pullman a couple years ago. Is pets are people too still there. I didnt know there was another store in town.

 

[moortim]

Yes, Pets are People too is still around, they are the only one with saltwater right now. The pet store that was referred to above was the Pet Service Center, in the Eastside Market place in Moscow. It closed down with intentions of moving locations but the place it was planning on moving too isn't finished with construction yet. Most of us just drive to Spokane to Aquatic Dreams.

Tim