SPS under PC lighting?

ASU-Reefing · #1 12/05/2007, 04:05 PM

I am wanting to put a few sps corals in my tank but i am running PC lighting. It is about 10 gallons and has 112 watts 2-28w 10k and 2-28w actinic PC bulbs will i be able to keep sps in my tank. and why is it that people say you can't keep sps under that light is it the spectrum or just the intensity. i got my tank from http://www.elementalocean.com and it came stock with that much light. has anyone had success keeping anemonies or clams under this kind of lighting? if you have had success keeping any of this would you please post some pictures thanks!

acrodave · #2 12/05/2007, 04:10 PM

I dont have any pics but i did a 12 gal under 96w pc and they did fine .Dont expect fast growth or crazy colors but it can be done. I also had a huge crocea under the same light.I would still have all this but upgraded to a bigger tank with halides

racermike27 · #3 12/05/2007, 04:17 PM

I have also grown some easy SPS under compacts. Mainly milles, caps, and a stag. they grew fine for me but di not have fast growth. Colors were good though. I still have these pieces today and they have colored up much more under more intense lights though.

ASU-Reefing · #4 12/05/2007, 04:36 PM

well that is good news i would like to have good color though. do the colors just fade or what it is probably a good thing that they don't grow super fast due to the fact that i don't have a huge tank. is there any chance that the growth could have more to do with amount of calcium in the tank and not the type of lights?

snyder2050 · #5 12/05/2007, 04:50 PM

Here's a picture of our tank when we had pcs on it. We did have good colors and some growth but we kept dark blues and other dark colors. Now with the halides/t5 combo we have we get faster growth better and better coloration.

snyder2050 · #6 12/05/2007, 04:53 PM

Here's the tank now

snyder2050 · #7 12/05/2007, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ASU-Reefing
well that is good news i would like to have good color though. do the colors just fade or what it is probably a good thing that they don't grow super fast due to the fact that i don't have a huge tank. is there any chance that the growth could have more to do with amount of calcium in the tank and not the type of lights?

There's a lot of factors that will play a role in the growth and overall health of sps such as water quality, lighting, flow ect. I guess it just depends on what your goals are.

acrodave · #8 12/05/2007, 05:00 PM

yes calcium is important but so is the light without the light the corals cant photosynthesis witch is what give them life to grow then use the calcium

ASU-Reefing · #9 12/05/2007, 05:37 PM

so do you think that my amount of light would be sufficient for healthy sps?

snyder2050 · #10 12/05/2007, 06:01 PM

There's a pretty good variety of sps that will do ok with your lighting. What are your water parameters like?

ASU-Reefing · #11 12/05/2007, 06:18 PM

i actually haven't even got my rocks yet

but i will have them hopefully early january and then i will start socking in february i am just trying to figure things out for then

ASU-Reefing · #12 12/05/2007, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by snyder2050
Here's a picture of our tank when we had pcs on it. We did have good colors and some growth but we kept dark blues and other dark colors. Now with the halides/t5 combo we have we get faster growth better and better coloration.

how much CP lighting is over this tank and how big is the tank?

snyder2050 · #13 12/05/2007, 09:11 PM

It's a 80g and I think it was 8 96w bulbs

nismo driver · #14 12/05/2007, 09:50 PM

my montis did well enough under a 96 watt quad compact over 10 gallon but the one acro frag i had was as brown as dirt.