Lighting Question

[optimo]

I HAVE A 55 GALLON TANK THAT IS 30"X18"X24"HIGH.
I AM RUNNING 2 65W PC BULBS. THATS ONLY 130W.
I DONT HAVE THE MONEY FOR METAL HALIDE NOW.
ARE THERE ANY INVERTS THAT WILL SURVIVE??

[tonytwist]

I AM RUNNING A 192W PC'S IN MY 46 GALLON (4 WATTS PER GALLON) AND CURRENTLY HAVE A RED SEA STAR FISH AND ROSE BUBBLE TIP ANEMONE THAT SEEM TO BE DOING FINE. ALSO HEARD THAT DERASA CLAMS CAN BE KEPT UNDER PC'S. YOUR TANK IS LARGER THAN MINE AND YOU HAVE LOWER WATTAGE SO IT MAY BE RISKY TO KEEP INVERTS. I MYSELF ALSO DO NOT HAVE MONEY FOR MH'S RIGHT NOW. HAVE YOU CONSIDERED T5'S OR VHO'S?

[optimo]

WHAT ARE T5'S? ARE VHO'S BETER?

[bertoni]

There's no need to type in all-caps. It just makes your posts hard to read.

T5s are narrow fluorescent bulbs. They are supposed to be more efficient than PC or VHO, and probably are. I like the look of VHOs the best of the three, followed by PC. That's just my personal taste, though.

You could stock soft corals towards the top of the tank. They should do well, and might spread to the bottom over time.