# been along time finally set up a new reef.have a simple light question.



## 92smokeaccord (Jun 5, 2012)

i have a 20 long future reef(like a month away) and i have a 30 inch power compact light.light has 2 22inch pc bulbs..i want it to be blue ish as i can with out running risk of no sustainable coral growth..i currently have 1 full 450 actinic and one 50/50 10k/ 450 actinic.i love the color of it but is this gonna beok for lps, softies and a derasa clam(clam being up more but still veiwable).should i just run a full 10k and actinic or what?thinking about adding a blue led stunner strip to blue it up some more...any help would be great.

p.s each bulb is 55/65 watts so 130 total


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

If you enjoy the blue look just rock two 50\50s. You won't be able to do too many SPS corals but you will be able to do some provided the water chemistry is sound.As far as soft corals there should be no problem.For more PAR you could run two 10,000 Kelvins but you would get no florescence from the corals and over a short period of time you may experience algae growth.I bypass the algae growth with macro algae or carbon\good sump\skimmer.


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

A clam would not do well under those lights, they need very powerful lights more in the MH or T5HO range.

Make sure ALL your water parameters are in check before adding any corals at all.
You need to be able to test for Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium, pH and be able to make adjustments to them if they are not at optimum levels.

Are you using RO/DI water as well?


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## 92smokeaccord (Jun 5, 2012)

Tazman said:


> A clam would not do well under those lights, they need very powerful lights more in the MH or T5HO range.
> 
> Make sure ALL your water parameters are in check before adding any corals at all.
> You need to be able to test for Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium, pH and be able to make adjustments to them if they are not at optimum levels.
> ...


yes full ro/di from my job.i test those every friday befor the water change on sat..everything is stable.i use kent reef pro salt.i actually am gonna run a 50/50 an a full 10k pc bulbs.but i ended up getting 5 blue actinic stunner strips so thats gonna be my blue light..


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

Going with the STUNNERS! Should be pretty sweet once all is setup and running.


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## cwmorrow (Dec 25, 2011)

A beginner's question: Why does a clam need good lighting?


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

The tridacnid clams have symbiotic zooxanthelae in the mantle tissue wich requires some lighting, to an extent.


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## cwmorrow (Dec 25, 2011)

badxgillen said:


> The tridacnid clams have symbiotic zooxanthelae in the mantle tissue wich requires some lighting, to an extent.


Thanks!


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