JackPumpkinKing
New Member
Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone had any advice on what light to get for my 10 gallon (10in x 20in) saltwater tank. I don't have any corals in it yet, just a black clown fish and a purple orchid dottyback, and five snails that have been living in the tank for about a year with some live rock and sand. I have been using the 13 watt blue and white coralife marine aquarium clip-on light, but I think it may be too strong of a light because I can't get brown algae to stop growing on the sand. The snails only clean the rock and the tank is too small to get another fish to clean the sand. I tried cutting back on how long I leave the white light on, maybe 4-5 hours in the morning and the blue light on for a couple hours in the evening, but then my clown fish starting looking pale and sad, and I read about how they need like 8-10 hours a day of light, and that it was losing pigmentation because of lack of light, so I've been leaving the white light on longer and he got his color back and perked up. I want to add some corals in eventually and make it a mini reef tank, I use instant ocean reef salt to make the saltwater so it should be ready for them whenever I get enough money to splurge on corals. I've read they have specific light requirements as well as my fish. What light or wattage and on time should I do to make everybody happy but not have brown algae all over the sand? I do weekly water changes and vacuum the sand a little which helps for like a day but then the sand algae is back the next day after leaving the light on.
