help with lighting

hey guys, canu u tell me what i should do about my lighting. i can't afford the halides. i have 1 18" fluorescents on each side of the tank. can i upgrade my fluorescent bulbs? i want to keep a few of the easier corals(softies) so what should i do? i noticed the 50/50 only have 15watts per bulb for 18". would this be enough? please help, suggestions are great. thanks

 

So you have 30 watts total on the whole 55 g tank? I don't know if that is even enough for softies.

Have you looked into VHO or T-5 lighting?

 

I agree with Birdlay. I just upgraded to t-5ho and its amazing. I have 216w of t-5ho over my 55 and its great.

 

Lighting

I Only Have 15 Watts Right Now As I Am In The Cycling Process But I Cannot Afford To Change The Lighting Hoods Right Now, That's Why I Was Asking If There Is An Alternative.

 

Well, in my opinion. If you are unable to upgrade to a high powered lighting system i would wait a while to get corals. I would infact try to save up for lighting, that way once you do get it, corals would be the next step. I dont think trying to have corals deal with lesser light sources is the best idea.

 

I agree with you guys in your advice to NEMO79!!!I would wait on the corals until you have a better lighting arrangement offering more par/intensity. More importantly, your lights I don't think are "full spectrum" bulbs which definitely doesn't fare well with corals!
The next issue of concern for you with trying to add corals to a low light tank is the possible stress and problems associated with transitioning to stronger lighting. For example going from power compacts to 250-400 watt HQI metal halides. If you don't transition your corals with the utmost care you run the risk of bleaching your corals and possibly killing them!
I'd wait till you have the money and make a better decision as to what types of corals you would like to keep first of all. Then make the choice on the best form of light out there for your particular tank style(ie. PC/VHO/MH/t5's).
Let us know what road you chose to follow...
Any further questions-feel free to ask...Best of luck! IMO, take your time and make the right choice without sacrificing money for a cheaper alternative. You will be glad you did.
I can tell you first hand that on my 75gallon tank-I'v changed lights 3 times, and now have three different lighting fixture down in the basement before finally getting what I wanted-metal halides!! Just don't make the same mistakes I did...

 

Thanks For The Advice. I Will Be Definitly Holding Off For Now. Will The Live Rock Grow Anything With What I Currently Have? I Know For Sure The Metal Halids Are Not Something I Will Be Investing In. I Want Something Realistic And Affordable. What Are T5's Like. Do U Need A Special Lighting Fixture For Them? I Know For Sure I Only Want Soft Corals As They Are Less Fussy And They Would Be Best For Me. Any More Suggestion Would Be Great. Do Feather Dusters Need Special Lighting? It's Too Bad You Can't Just Upgrade Your Bulbs. I Just Can't Get Into The $300-$500 For Special Lights. Thanks Again.

 

I got my 55 gal t5 unit for about $250 with shipping from Drs. Foster & Smith. That comes with actinic, regular, and moonlight, along with a built-in fan. I have a meager, eclectic collection of corals from montipora to gorgonians, and they seem to be doing fine with it. I don't know if I got a great deal or not but it is under $300. I've been really happy with it. (It's a T5 Nova Extreme)

 

Check out Drs foster and smith, they have the 48" corallife lunar light with 260w of power compacts for $199.00.

 

I have been in the Hobby for 3 years its expensive. Save for the lights you want. I got Halides one at a time and just now ordered two new bulbs. No corals yet was working on the skimmer the Uv light, sump, pumps, power heads, live rock, plumbing, Canopy, you get my drift. As Matt sig says take it slow let it grow or something close to that.