BamBam
09/03/2001, 07:08 PM
(I am reposting this from the main forum, per someone's suggestion... )
Hi folks... I'm a newbie, had my first tank running for 6+ months, been pretty successful so far, but all I have is lots of live rock (seem to have some nice critters on it), a Tomato clown, a cleaner shrimp, a cowrie, some small snails and some small hermit crabs. I did once have a problem with red hair algae/high nitrates, but I fixed that by water changes + adding a protein skimmer + using nitrate sponge.
Now I'd like to get a bit more interesting with my tank... I'd like to try corals and maybe a clam. Here is my problem:
When I bought my tank I wasn't as prepared as I should have been ... the LFS convinced me that an Eclipse System 12 was all I needed. The filter seems ok (and I put my nitrate sponge in it), and I broke the back of the hood to add a protein skimmer, and I added a powerhead and use a heater in the winter. But the lighting....
The default setup is one 13 watt, 5000K power compact.
I get mixed messages... some say that is fine for mushroom and button polyps, some say its fine for certain corals, some even say its fine for certain clams (!) if i put the clams high enough in the rock. The tank dimensions are roughly 16H, 20W and 10D (its a bow front). What is the truth here?
Right now, it seems like I've got a couple of options as far as the lighting is concerned:
1) Stay with a single 13 watt power compact (although, should I go to bulb such as a 10K?)
2) Do some "surgery" to my hood and remove the current light and put in say, a 55 watt power compact?
3) Buy a tank with more configurable lighting options (can't afford to do this right now)
Questions: If I wanted to keep some mushrooms and lower light corals, what should I do? If I wanted to keep clams and higher light needing corals, what should I do?
Sorry this post was SO long winded.... I am so glad I found this forum, hopefully someday I'll be able to contribute ;-) Thanks!!!
Hi folks... I'm a newbie, had my first tank running for 6+ months, been pretty successful so far, but all I have is lots of live rock (seem to have some nice critters on it), a Tomato clown, a cleaner shrimp, a cowrie, some small snails and some small hermit crabs. I did once have a problem with red hair algae/high nitrates, but I fixed that by water changes + adding a protein skimmer + using nitrate sponge.
Now I'd like to get a bit more interesting with my tank... I'd like to try corals and maybe a clam. Here is my problem:
When I bought my tank I wasn't as prepared as I should have been ... the LFS convinced me that an Eclipse System 12 was all I needed. The filter seems ok (and I put my nitrate sponge in it), and I broke the back of the hood to add a protein skimmer, and I added a powerhead and use a heater in the winter. But the lighting....
The default setup is one 13 watt, 5000K power compact.
I get mixed messages... some say that is fine for mushroom and button polyps, some say its fine for certain corals, some even say its fine for certain clams (!) if i put the clams high enough in the rock. The tank dimensions are roughly 16H, 20W and 10D (its a bow front). What is the truth here?
Right now, it seems like I've got a couple of options as far as the lighting is concerned:
1) Stay with a single 13 watt power compact (although, should I go to bulb such as a 10K?)
2) Do some "surgery" to my hood and remove the current light and put in say, a 55 watt power compact?
3) Buy a tank with more configurable lighting options (can't afford to do this right now)
Questions: If I wanted to keep some mushrooms and lower light corals, what should I do? If I wanted to keep clams and higher light needing corals, what should I do?
Sorry this post was SO long winded.... I am so glad I found this forum, hopefully someday I'll be able to contribute ;-) Thanks!!!