What kind of lighting do I really need...

HELP!!! :-/I am soooo Confused. I have a 55g with LR and
would like to add coral but I am not sure of the lighting I need. I would like say: a bubble or brain or even leathers, could someone please help me out on what type and how much lighting I need for this. ( all confused) I have coralife 50/50s just now.

My tank has been up for 6 weeks and all water test I have done are right on the money the way they should be.

I have a few damsels ( all but 1 will be going back to the LFS ) and last week we added some turbo snails and a few red-foot snails ( all doing just great )

I know corals need lighting, I'm just not sure what kind and how much, any help will be great. Also I will be getting my skimmer this week (sea clone)

 

Do you have a budget?

 

[quote author=tinydove link=board=Newbie;num=1077367476;start=0#0 date=02/21/04 at 04:44:35]
I have a few damsels ( all but 1 will be going back to the LFS ) and last week we added some turbo snails and a few red-foot snails ( all doing just great )
[/quote]

Yea I am still trying to get the damsels out of my tank... good luck

Do you have a canopy or and make one? if you use MH lights the will need to be 12" or better from the top of the water. Matt will help ya with that one as I still use VHO but if I knew what I know now I would have went with the MH light.

 

As for a budget, I have a Vaughn ;D (hubby who spoils me HE-HE)) he plays alot of pool and that adds up $$$$ wise so he does not complain when it comes to my tank I'm lucky.

I went to the LFS tonight and got a few more Turbos and the man there said I should start off with some shrooms and polyps when the time comes, (tank is new, just 6 weeks old ) he said the coralife 50/50s are OK for those but as I get into other corals I should upgrade my lighting. ( is this true ) Does anyone know of any corals I can put in with the lighting that I have now?

Thanks for any help and info you all might have.



All my water conditions are right on the money
I have been adding B-Ionc for about 2 weeks now faithfully everyday. ( 30 lbs of LR also )

 

What are the watts on the lights you have now?
I run 440 watts of VHO.

 

Hey Nautilus, thanks for the response .

The lights the LFS sold me are as follows:

Box says:

Coralife 50/50 (50% natural daylight 6000k and 50% Actinic 03 Blue
360 output
18"
15 watt
1" DIA. (T8)
Fluorescent
LFS sold me 2 of them for my tank is a 55g
about : 12x 18x48. it has a tanktop with 2 fixtures to hold 1 bulb in each.

Hope this helps with you Question. Thanks for any help you might have for me

 

Yes you will need to upgrade those lights.
Do you have a hood on top of your tank and if so how hight is it? If high enough then (15" and over) then you can use Metal Halide lights.
The ceiling above the tank can also hold some MH pendents by the way of chain.
I know about VHO (Very High Output) lights
and PC (Power Compacts).
I like the VHO over the PC lights any day.
If I were starting over I would go with the Metal Halide E ballast and bulb.

Nugio just made a nice hood and has MH lights you may want to check his posts

 

Check this link out.
http://www.3reef.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=DIY;action=display;num=1076205386;start=29#29

 

:-/ the hood on my tank is the standard that comes with a 55g not sure if I can use it or have to get another totaly confused :-[

 

If you put MH lights to close to the water it will burn your corals up mainly by heating the water. This is why MH lights need to be at least 12" from the surface. People put them in a closed hood so they are not blinded by the lights when they are near them. 8)

Do you have a canopy? Or do you have a glass top with a light fixture ontop of it?