20g long lighting needs

[Matticus]

Hi I am new to R2R, just joined yesterday. Got a question about lighting for my 20g long. I currently have Coralife aqualight 30" HO T5, with one 10k and one 460nm actinic over my tank. My question is do yall think that will be enough lighting for sps, thats what i really want to keep. My tank is only 12 inches deep, and where i would be placing the corals would be about 8 to 10 inches away from the light. I currently have some xenias that are doing very well and mutiplying, but I am eventually wanting to get a clam and lots of SPS. I have considered going to a 150 watt metal Halide(for the shimmer effect and sps) but unless I place it a lot higher above the tank im afraid I will fry my xenias and have to buy a chiller, which im really not wanting to do. A 150 watt metal halide would average out to 7.5 watts per gallon which is on the high end and considering my tank is so shallow im thinking that would be a little much. Anyway suggestions? Thanks

 

[JR's Reef]

Im going to say its not enough light for SPS. I would do more T5 bulbs or MH. I run a 150MH over my sons 24g cube without issuses and its full of xenias and been thinking of doing a 250 over it. IMO I would do the MH

 

[lkjr409]

Dont think what you have will do it...I have a two 20L frag tanks- the first has a 2- 30" nova extreme fixtures on it = 4-29 w bulbs (aqua blue plus, aqua blue special, 10K and super actinic),,zoas and acans grow well and I have 3 SPS pieces that have grown but are on racks half way up. I just put a 36" reefbrite blue/white strip over my other 20L which only has softies and zoas...great shimmer! It sits right on the tank top with a glass cover under it so it is very close to the water.
I cant comment on MH...but have you thought of a 36 inch 4 bulb (4 X 39W) T5 unit? I have that over my 30 gal DT, which is also 30 " wide...its an aquatic life with moonlight LEDS...nice unit and you can control all the ilghts....even though its a 36", the legs are adjustable so it sits right on the tank with a few inchs overhang on each side...it does not look bad (too me)...I would think it wold be more than enough for SPS in a 20L.

 

[TopNotchCorals]

I would go with a 4 bulb t5ho fixture and you will be fine to keep sps,a 2 bulb fixture will definitely not be enough

 

[Matticus]

Well thats what I was thinking, crap i just wasted 150 bucks on that light, anybody need a coralife T5 HO fixture lol. Thanks a lot for the posts, think this would work well or be a little over kill http://cgi.ebay.com/30-Metal-Halide-Light-Aquarium-Reef-Marine-250-Watts_W0QQitemZ300427074727QQcategoryZ46314QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3907.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DSIC%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D8%26pmod%3D290431841809%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D8413654582997019122 . That light I posted has a very nice price, and I love that it also has LED moon lights, and that company seems to get awesome ratings from everybody who has bought from them. Anybody tried them or heard anything about these guys?

 

[Matticus]

Im going to say its not enough light for SPS. I would do more T5 bulbs or MH. I run a 150MH over my sons 24g cube without issuses and its full of xenias and been thinking of doing a 250 over it. IMO I would do the MH

Thanks, do you have problems with a lot of heat from the 150MH over the 24g cube? Also how high is it placed above the tank?

 

[Tenacious716]

That light you linked is a piece of junk made by a no-name company. Lighting isn't something you want to cheap out on. A four-bulb Tek would light your 20L great and you'd be able to keep mostly everything. :)