# can you have to much



## Rogergolf66 (Dec 24, 2006)

Can you have to much lighting? I have a coral tank that I moved a new lighting sysem over it has 7.46 watts of light per gallon of water?

Roger


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## herefishy (Dec 14, 2006)

What is the lux or lumen rating of the bulbs? Light intensity is more important than power consumption (watts).


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## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

Thats now too much lighting, mike has 10 watts per gallon, I know plenty peoply with 15 watts per gallon on there nanos. If thats pc light than you should be worried you dont have enuff, what im saying is that you have plenty for the average coral but if you want clams or sps you might want some more light.


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## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

7.4 is only getting started. It'd do most anything you asked of it. It also depends upon what kind of light, as in spectrum.


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## Rogergolf66 (Dec 24, 2006)

2 150W HQI

2 130W paq atinic

don't know lum


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## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

Your main lighting then is 300w. The halides are in the type of spectrum, if 14K or lower, to actually count as your lighting. The actinics are generally referred to as color enhancing light. More for the effect then the photosynthetic properties. But as my old mechanic friend says, in a pinch any oil is better then no oil. LOL. WTH does that mean? Nothing. Ok I'm saying that it's good you have the actinic and even though most don't count it towards their overall lighting, it is doing something. If you really want to boost that lighting think of switching over to 250w set ups.


So are you "overdoing it"? Not really. You have lot's of room to add even more lighting. You should be able to keep a lot of less fussy SPS corals up in the last 8" of your tank.


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## Rogergolf66 (Dec 24, 2006)

Thanks for the great info. I know I probly need to do some research. I have done not research on SPS can you give me some sugjustions for the top 8 inches of my tank?

I would appreciate it

Thanks Roger

As of now I only have soft corals


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## Melissa (Nov 28, 2006)

you could try some hard corals. If you like softies you will really like hard corals.


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## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

I'd start with more prolific species. Ones that are being so commonly fragged that they are almost not even being taken from the oceans anymore. 

Pocillipora, hydnopora, green slimer, and anything called a "cap". All should do well for you and will prosper in your lighting. Try to find some local reefers and get frags from them rather then spend oodles at the LFS. If you lived near me I'd send you home today with 5 different species of caps. They grow so quickly in my tank I always have to trim them back. Starting with a few small frags will help guide you and show you what is working and what isn't. Also if they perish your local guy might be able to help look over your set up and replenish your frags. Much better then killing an entire $65 colony.


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

try your best to buy only aqua-cultured corals and either tank raised fish or tank bred fish. Same goes with everything in your tank including live rock and sand. It really helps the environment and the corals and fish will prove to be much more hardier than the wild counter-parts. Do some research and find some corals that will reproduce in the home aquaria


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## Rogergolf66 (Dec 24, 2006)

caferacermike next time you do some trimming would you be interested in shipping some corals to me? At my expense of course.

Roger


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## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

I'll put you on the "list". I'm involved with about 200 local reefers so my list is rather long. It could be 2 months before your name would come up. We are constantly trading. That's how I have over 120 species of SPS in my tank.


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## Rogergolf66 (Dec 24, 2006)

Great thank you!!!


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