Lighting & Clean Up Crew :) ?

[sparklefuzz]

I am planning on having a FOWLR tank, I currently have 2 x T8 bulbs, will this be enough? I read somewhere (I think) that to keep invertabrates you need better lighting, does invertabrates include crabs, shrimps etc, i.e clean up crew, or am I understanding wrong?

Also, how many snails / crabs / shrimps etc do I need for a 40guk tank? Thanks!!

 

[Chac]

Clean Up Crew = 1 Per Gallon

Lighting depends on what coral you want to keep

 

[SkiFletch]

2xT8 is plenty for fish only. The only invertebrates that require high-powered lights are corals . Crabs, snails, and other cleanup crew members dont need strong lighting at all.

General rule of thumb is 1 cleanup crew per gallon with larger shrimps counting for 3-5 members. I'd go with 10 Cerith snails, 10 nassaurius snails, 10 trochus snails, 4 scarlet reef hermits, a brittlestar, and maybe 2 cleaner shrimp if it were my tank

 

[sparklefuzz]

2xT8 is plenty for fish only. The only invertebrates that require high-powered lights are corals . Crabs, snails, and other cleanup crew members dont need strong lighting at all.

General rule of thumb is 1 cleanup crew per gallon with larger shrimps counting for 3-5 members. I'd go with 10 Cerith snails, 10 nassaurius snails, 10 trochus snails, 4 scarlet reef hermits, a brittlestar, and maybe 2 cleaner shrimp if it were my tank

A friend of mine has a 38w marine white and 38w marine blue bulb that I can have for nothing, they sound better so, what further options (if any) would those bulbs give me please? Would I be able to have any corals? I'm not planning any until I've got to grips with FOWLR, but it'd be good to know if I have the option for them later on, or if I'd need to upgrade again.

Thanks!

 

[callell]

Replacing the T8 with a T5 would be a good idea

You will be able to keep a lot more of the Soft Coral species

& using the Blue Actinic Lighting will make the tank look cool

 

[SkiFletch]

I'm not entirely familiar with what wattage equals what diameter, but I THINK that 38 watt lights are 4' T8 tubes. That would give you the ability to have soft corals, but I wouldnt try any LPS