Eclipse 3

[JD8]

I have an Eclipse 37gal that I'm thinking about setting up. Would like to do some soft corals. I know pretty much how I want to set it up but lighting has got me stumped. There is a PC kit that is 65w.....but I want more. Any ideas, suggestions, links?

[rldavis]

When you say you want more, what do you mean? I think that 65W on a 37 gallon tank would be more than enough for soft corals. As a matter of fact, you could probably use whatever lighting setup came with it and be okay too. We have a 55 gallon tank that we use for propagating corals with two eclipse hoods over it, running 4 18inch 15watt bulbs, and there have been several softies in there for quite awhile that are doing fine. SO, I suppose it depends on what you really want.
If you really want more, you could always consider buying or building a custom canopy or using a MH pendant.

HTH,
Becky

[JD8]

So you think 65w would be enough for soft corals? Would that be enough for anemones?

[rldavis]

I don't know that 65W would be enough for an anemone. You'd have to research which type would stay small enough to keep in a system that little and in those lighting conditions. Most of them get pretty big pretty quick. I have some example pictures if you wanna see:
Here's a picture (http://ww2.comasonline.org/reefpics/donny/anemone1.jpg) of when we first got it.
AND, here's a picture (http://ww2.comasonline.org/reefpics/donny/anemone.jpg) of it now.
Keep in mind that the tank is 125 gallons. :D It basically gets the left 1/3 to itself.
I also believe that they prefer "dirty" or aged water, in my experience they don't have a very good survival rate in newer tanks.

Becky
:)

[OscarBeast]

I hear that LTAs do well in low light, and that many high powered reef systems are actually bad for them. If they can't find some shade they can actually die.

I have 72 watts of light over my 10-gallon tank. :P www.ahsupply.com I have one of their bright kits. I was happy with it. I went to www.hellolights.com to buy my bulbs though. ahsupply didn't have the colors that I wanted.

The same kit I bought will actually power 110 watts of light too.

How wide and long is the top of the tank?

[rldavis]

OscarBeast,

Don't know if you looked at the links to pictures that I posted, but ours is a LTA, they get WAY to big for a tank his size.

Becky

[OscarBeast]

I have seen the monster that you guys have.

I think many anemones that he could put in there will need be be traded to the LFS for a smaller one later on.

[OscarBeast]

You might want to look up what kind of requirements that condys have. They are nice and they are also fairly inexpensive.

I have heard of people keeping them in their nanos, but I sure wouldn't try!

[JD8]

Anemones were just a option........did a little more research and I do think its not a good idea.

[Kyle McClain]

JD8

I would say that's the best choice, anemone's require very stable condtions and that's just very hard to do in a smaller tank, not impossible but very hard.

Kyle