Would I have enough light?

Hey guys I this is my first day on a reef forum. YAY. LOL I have a lot of questions but I feel that I should do some reading before I make a fool out of my self.

However, I want to ask this first. I know I don't have near enough light to be keeping the higher light end of corals. However, I was looking around the web and this site popped up.

Beginner corals for a reef aquarium - Aquatic Connection

He states that they are "light tolerant" what does he mean? Are these willing to live in a low light environment?

What I am planning to run is 4x65 watt PC bulbs, 2 6,700k and 2 actinic bulbs over a 75 gallon.
Please give me an idea of what I can keep. If I can't keep any coral, please let me know. I don't want to spend a fortune and lose them.

I will continue absorbing the knowledge on the site now.

 

Welcome! First we all need some specs. How deep and long is your tank? What corals will you plan on housing? With the lights you listed and depending on depth you can house softies and most LPS corals. What livestock do you or will you have in there?

 

Well I am setting it up in a standard 75 gallon tank. (48x18x20")?

SO specs are 75 gallon oak
4x65 watt Aqualight PC bulb
Either Eheim Pro II or DIY wet dry filter

That's about it, I am still in the planning stage.

I am not planning to house much, I prefer the look of the corals, they will be the main theme. The fishes will just be used to compliment them.

However, I am VERY interested in getting an anemone with a "nemo" in there. LOL My family would love it.

Would an anemone thrive in the tank?
I was thinking pretty much mushroom corals, star polyps, zoanthids, and some montipora corals.

 

With those lights, you can house softies and leathers. It is not near enough light for an anemone however. They require intense light.

 

Would I be able to make up the intensity by placing the anemone atop a rock near the surface?

 

Honestly, I'm not sure. PCs have good output, but they don't penetrate very deep.

An anemone tends not to stay put. You can put it in one spot, but it will move to where it likes best. Unfortunately, this is not normally where you think you want it.

There are lower light level anemones out there, but still not sure if PCs are enough for them. Then to top off the fun, not all clowns will host all species of anemones. You will have to figure out what clown you are wanting, then find out what anemones that that species will host.

 

I'd stay away from the nems if I were you..wait until you have more powerful lights so they are not confined to the very top of your aquarium. And just throwing this in there..i would switch out the 6700k's for 10000k bulbs.

Welcome to 3reef!

Ivan

 

Thanks for the input and welcome guys.

If the anemone moves around, wouldn't it just stay near the top because it'll know there is less light below. He wouldn't put himself in a dead zone would he?

I have been blowing my mind with PAR levels for 3 days and I am still lost. LOL I plan to upgrade the lights but don't want to buy anything until I get this figured out.
I really like the metal halide effect in the water.

I am planning to buy simple false perculas, they're not too picky are they? I just want 1 anemone, I'm happy with that. LOL

 

in regards to the nem , how old is your tank? they need an established tank to thrive. would prefer that , than it dieing and nuking your tank with the toxins it would release.

 

The tank hasn't been set yet. I am using an old tank that was once used for aquascaping in freshwater.

I am in the planning process now.