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Cultivated Reef

Is 4-55W pc enough on a 20g for corals, motipora and less...


MacnReef

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When I say less, I mean lower amounts of light. I want to set-up a 20g but I want to put 4-55W pc on it. I want to mainly grow zoos, montipora and softies. Maybe an LPS, like torch.

 

My filtration on it will be a canister filter.

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with 4 55 watter you could probably do acroporas and clams to. that's quite a bit of light over such a shallow tank:)(assuming your talking about a 20 gallon long)

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quiksilver5768

You should be perfectly fine with 2x55watt PC's. Thats what I have on my 20H and i can and currently am keeping those types of corals which you listed above. 4x55watt would work too but I think it would be a waste of money. I would rather just go with a 175 watt MH (and nothing else, just the MH) if you still want more light than just 2x55 watts. I have a deresa clam living perfectly happy in my tank as well. I will be switching to a 175 watt MH soon though, and will probably trade in the deresa for a crocea of some sort.

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Originally posted by quiksilver5768

You should be perfectly fine with 2x55watt PC's. Thats what I have on my 20H and i can and currently am keeping those types of corals which you listed above. 4x55watt would work too but I think it would be a waste of money. I would rather just go with a 175 watt MH (and nothing else, just the MH) if you still want more light than just 2x55 watts. I have a deresa clam living perfectly happy in my tank as well. I will be switching to a 175 watt MH soon though, and will probably trade in the deresa for a crocea of some sort.

 

I'm curious if you've already researched your 175w upgrade. I'm looking around at the 175w MH's too, wondering what you are considering.

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quiksilver5768

I was gonna go for a 175 MH vertical pendant. My LFS sells them for 200 but my friend works there and gets a 50% discount on everything so im just gonna buy it for $100 and then probably buy my bulb from exoticfish.com. I was gonna go for the 14K bulb. Its a bit pricy but I want something in between 10K and 20K so its either a 12K at premiumaquatics.com or the 14K EURO at exoticfish.com. Any opinoins on what i should do?

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Hey, I have a 14K Euro on a 250W pendant. It has an excellent color, not too blue and not too white, just right.

 

Actually, guys thanks for the responses. I may take down my 10 and put the 250W on a mogul socket and put it in a canopy with 2-55W pc actinics. Not sure yet...Will keep updated!

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quiksilver5768

hey MacnReef, where did you buy that 14K Euro from? Because exoticfish.com sells it for $99 and was wondering if there was anywhere else that sold it for cheaper...

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I purchased mine from Aquatic Eco-Systems. They had a pendant on sale one day when I went up there to pick something up and it had the 14K bulb in it. It was a hamilton pendant, and hamilton is the one who makes the 14K bulb. So, I got it!

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Nice tank Mac! So you just have the Hamilton pendant over you tank? What's your photo period like? I have an Extra 10g and another pendant (had two but sold one already). I need a new 250 watt ballast and the bulb. I really like your setup Mac, now It's inspired me to make another....

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quiksilver5768

I ordered the retro-fit kit and shoved them into 2 striplights that I had laying around from ahsupply.com. If i remember correctly, the kit was about $65. I got the bulbs from my LFS. I use 1 actinic 03 and 1 10K JBJ bulb.

 

 

BTW, does anyone know a cheap place where I can find metal halide bulbs between 10K and 20K (ex: 12K and 14K)

 

I consider anything around $65 or $70 or so for a MH bulb cheap.

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I actually wouldn't go for anything more than the 55 watt PC's. I had them on my 65 and kept softies, clams & SPS. You should be good to for for anything. Just keep a close eye on your Alk & Calcium if you go for Stonies.

 

Patrick

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I have a 12k sunburst and love it......personally IMO the 14k is a little too blue. Either bulb will support most any sps or clam over a 20 gallon. Good luck to you.

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Don't you have a heat problem with a halide over a 20 gallon tank? Unless you get a good fan or ventilation I don't see how you could put more than the PC's over a nano?

 

Patrick

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Take a look in the members section and do a search on halides. Trust me, I'm one of many running a halide succesfully. If I'm not mistaken, there is a 7 gallon or two out there running a halide. To answer your question, I use a 4" IceCap Thermo fan in my canopy to take out the heat, at full blast, it is capable of 150CFM. This fan, along with my house temperature being 72, and a 15 gallon refugium attached to the tank, keeps my reef at a steady 78 degrees.

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Yes, the only thing I have over my 10g is a 250W 14K halide. The photo period is 7:30 am to 7:30 pm. I think the photo period is a little long for a halide but oh well, there is no more room for anything else.:P

 

I love the halide but I am VERY concerned about the heat in the summer. I can tell you one thing I know for sure. Ever since I put up the halide, my room is a lot warmer than the rest of the house!X) That is why I posted this thread, I was considering selling my 250W halide or seeing if I could return it and go with pc on a 20. I want the 20g because I want more room. I have always run pc on other tanks and was always pleased but decided to give halides a try again.

 

I just built the canopy for my 20 last night and I will finish it tonight. I built enough large enough for my halide, if I decide to use it or large enough for four 55W pc. I was thinking of a 250W halide with 2-55W pc. Not sure which I will go with. I just don't want to have a heat problem in the future!;)

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