need a little help

[dabo]

i know that zoas need good light for photosynthesis but what would be a good light for this and to enhance the color

29 gal tank

30x12x18

 

[ericmcj31]

A PC (power compact) would be fine for just zoas...T5's would be better, but would live fine and grow w/ the PC's....

 

[ericmcj31]

...also 'enhance the color' is a matter of personal preference...I prefer either a 14K or the 20K look-

 

[dabo]

i got a pc from pet shop but the colors wasnt any good ive got about 10 kinds of zoas but they all look the same
you cant tell the color from one to the other

 

[dakota9]

replacing old PC bulbs can make a huge difference. I replaced some PC bulbs after 1 year once, and zoas that I'd never seen open where full and with bright colors.

Anything more than good PCs would be overkill for zoas only

 

[dabo]

well i did get the pc used maybe thats the problem

how often should bulbs be changed

 

[dakota9]

every 6 months would be good. The actinics can go longer. If you have more light loving corals or inverts then every 3 months would be good.

 

[dakota9]

Oh, remember, its a huge shock to inverts when you change the lighting if the old lighting is really old. It's kinda like t5heir whole world changes. Ramp them up on the new lighting with a shorter photo period at first, then back up to the normal photo period.

 

[dabo]

oh ok i will

so is pc on my tank good enough for all coral

 

[dakota9]

dabo;426213 wrote: oh ok i will

so is pc on my tank good enough for all coral

No, by no means.......


Softies, and some LPS do ok under PC. Bubble Tip Anemones can do ok, providing they have fed well with frozen foods.

Always research the needs of a coral before you purchase it, or like me, you'll end up buying a 300.00 light for a 20.00 clam.

 

[ericmcj31]

also pay attention to what type bulb you're getting....the 14K and 20K bulbs will make the corals have more color-

 

[oldschool52]

We changed our bulbs about 2 months ago and it made a huge difference. Went from 2 actinics and 2 10Ks to 2 new actinics and 2 14 Ks. (T5s). Corals much happier and other critters, including us as viewers, had to get used to the new color change but it was a nice improvement.

 

[dabo]

i have always done background checks on everything to see what corals need what just wasnt sure if the pc was good for photosynthesis

also would like to know what lights everybody thinks i should use on

125 gallon
refugium/sump

and lights on

250gallon
main tank

 

[ericmcj31]

depends on what corals you're keeping....if it's FOWLR a florescent light will suffice-if you're keeping SPS's I'd say T5's or MH's....for just zoas I'd spring for the T5's....