Beginner

[jourdy288]

I am interested in keeping coral. I cannot afford metal halide. Any suggestions?

 

[SkiFletch]

I am interested in keeping coral. I cannot afford metal halide. Any suggestions?

Sure, T5 or Power Compact (PC) flourescents are a slightly cheaper alternative. What are the dimensions of your tnak?

 

[jourdy288]

10 gallons

 

[Mr Miagi]

I am interested in keeping coral. I cannot afford metal halide. Any suggestions?

Sure, T5 or Power Compact (PC) flourescents are a slightly cheaper alternative. What are the dimensions of your tnak?

Skifletch didn't mean volume, he meant dimensions, as in what length, depth and height. A simple T5 fixture should suite a variety of soft corals. What is your budget?

 

[jourdy288]

Around 400 US

 

[Mr.September15]

Around 400 US

LOL, OF COURSE YOU HAVE ENOUGH TO GET A METAL HALIDE! They're expensive but for a 10gallon you could do wonders with $400

 

[jourdy288]

OK, I no longer have 400 US. Used to. Any new ideas?

Hint: a list of prices would be nice

 

[timpetty]

Do you have $160 US?

http/www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...mp;pcatid=15489

Thats what Im planning for my 10gal

 

[dilbert]

I am interested in keeping coral.

It has mainly to do with the depth of your tank as just nano tanks are sometimes deeper than long.

Then it depends on the coral. If it's sitting on top of a live rock just below the waterline that's obviously different than sitting on the sandbed.

Finally, "coral" can mean SPS or simply soft corals. For mushrooms or zoas you don't need much light.

I got my zoas on the sandbed. The main light in my 15 gallons (12" deep) tank is a 15W T8 and I added a short 11W T5 tube as kind of a spot light where the zoas are.

 

[steelhealr]

If you are looking for simplicity and don't care much to keep more than LPS, you can always go with a nanocube. SH

 

[showjyr]

A 10 gal is simple if you want to keep softies and maybe even a few LPS, if you keep them up higher.

I have the 36watt kit(about $70) over my 10 and the 26watt kit(no longer sold by them) over my 5.5.

I'm keeping zoas, palys, green candy cane(LPS), shrooms, GSP, green nephthea, and even an australian duncan(LPS). They are all doing great under just this moderate amount of light and I'm even developing coralline algae in a lot of places.

ahsupply.com

 

[jourdy288]

Thank you.