IS This Good Enough Light?

[black_majik]

I have two PC light fixtures from Current in my 75. My total watts are 260 ( 4x65) The lights are 50/50, but my one fixture will be dedicated to these actinic :460/420 nm ( purple and blue light)

http://www.current-usa.com/sunpaq.html


So 130 watts will be dedicated to those actinic.
and 130 will be dedicated to 50/50 light.

If anyone cares average watt per gallon of 3.5 - 3.8 Rock displacement.

So with that lighting can I keep LPS coral at different levels in my tank?
Is there only a few I can keep alive and have grow. A list of best suitable corals would be great. Please say yes/no to the list:

1)Frog spawns

2) Hammers

3) Brains

4) Tooth

5) Plate

6) Pagoda

Those are the main LPS corals I want to keep. For historic records I had success with mushrooms, then moved onto polyps, had success with them and moved to softies, success with them now after fixing the calcium/ alk situation I am ready for LPS ( I have two growing trumpets.) I doubt SPS will be achievable due to lower flow and lighting in my tank.
Thank You for your help.

[Shawnts106]

LOL! I love that title for this thread.. " good enough light "..

ok, every time I see PC lighting I immediately think of the middle of the ocean on a cloudy day.

PC's arent the best, but we used them for years and they will work ok.
Remember to replace your bulbs every 6-8 months of optimum results.

T5's would have been a better lighting choice honestly... but since we are working with PC then... its ok.


You should be fine keeping the corals on your list provided your water quality stays in acceptable parameters to.

The Euphyllias, AKA Torch, Frogspawn Hammers all like a soft medium current over them, and light levels should be medium to, so, in your tank keeping them near the middle or a bit higher will be good... I dont know what I would keep them down low, I have seen tissue recession with keeping them lower.

I would try and Stay AWAY from the Small Polyp Stoney selection right now...
as there is WAYYYYY more involved in sucessfully keeping these corals than just light. Light is only one part of the equation.

You should be fine with your LPS!

GOOD LUCK! and HAPPY REEFING!
oh, and Merry New Year!

[black_majik]

Thats funny you said that because every time I look in the tank I think of it was a cloudy day on the reef, but now with bluer bulbs I can say its deeper down.

[DoctorLps]

I had a LPS tank when I first started, and being cheap I used PC's
I did have a great sucssess with my corals, but I must say once I expeienced what Halides and T5s can do I will never go back!!!

[Shawnts106]

Well its not to say you cant have a good tank using PC... we used them for years because thats all we had.... but technology has introduced and offered new, better alternitives for todays reef tank lighting applications