12 gallon lighting questions! help!?

[Zazie]

Hi! Im new to this whole forum thing , but i was wondering.... I just set up a new 12 g Eclipse nano and I wanted to know what sufficient lighting would be to house a few corals (brain, devils fingers, etc.) I found a really good price on a PC 130w system, and I didn't know if that would actually be too much light. Any response will be greatly appreciatted.

 

Thanks!

http://www.aquatraders.com/aquatraders/pro...b2dacd3df6c9127

[bladze]

wait for this one:

 

http://www.aquatraders.com/aquatraders/pro...b2dacd3df6c9127

[Zazie]

Is that one really necessary though? or would the pc suffice? (im a teenager on a budget :*( ) lol. i'd like mh but ive heard that they run too hot for small tanks, and im afraid the bulbs will burn out too fast..

[bladze]

actually, with MH, you only have to change the bulb once/year or you can stretch out to 14 up to 18 months. It won't be too hot.

[yoshiod9]

there has also been talk that you can have a mh bulb last over 4 years(anthony calfo speaks of it in his book of coral prop. vol. 1) with little to no drop in par. i would go with a mh just so you don't have to upgrade later. =)

[bladze]

night walker

[Zazie]

Awesome, i guess ill end up with mh after all. Thanks for the fast replys!

[FAC_WNY]

PAR may not drop off....but spectrum shifts, which may end up promoting algal growth over coral growth. Intensity is only one part of the equation for reefing..the other is spectrum. MH bulbs should be replaced every 12 months.

 

Cheers,

Fred

[SmCaudata]

I went to that site and there stuff is much cheaper than the other things I have been looking at.

 

Are the lights of good quality? $50 for 130W is a really good price.

 

Thanks.

[jjjo]

i don't know. even though they if something doesn't cost you an arm or a leg it probably is junk. My 28 watt pc aqualight made by coralife was 40 bucks. it is good quality and stays reletivly cool. i would recomend an aqualight over a jebo or odysea light from aquatraders. BTW they look low quality to me.

 

for a 12 gallon tank with sofies and LPS corals i would go with 3-5 watts per gallon. if you get Mh or HQI you can keep SPS. beware of softies in that light. you may fry them if proper acclimation isn't taking place. they could also get bleached from sudden light change.

 

aslo good news. you can keep crocea clams under the light you are speaking of. (MH or HQI) they come in dull colors to super color. there max size is 6" which is good for a small tank.

[Zazie]

Awesome, thanks