unclenedsfishfactory.com

Hey hey,

I'm planning on getting a mated pair of Tomato Clowns and a Bulb Anemone once my saltwater tank is done cycling. I have a 55gal tank with two 36" lights, a ZooMed Ocean Sun 10,000k and a ZooMed Reef Sun 50/50. I was told that these aren't good for an anemone. What kind of lights do you recommend and do I need more lights?

I should of worded my question better.......

What lights do you recommend for my entire setup? Like can I keep one of the bulbs I have and swap out a bulb for the anemone??

In my opinion, you'll need at least "power compact" flourescent fixtures, or better yet Metal Halides, to keep a "bubble tip" (Entacmaea quadricolor) or BTA.

I'd go with at least a pair of 96w powercompacts, or better yet a pair of 175w halides with actinic supplimentation.

If your existing lights are standard 36" tubes (30w) they just won't put out enough light, and the fixtures aren't upgradeable - the Power Compacts or Metal Halides are totally different technology.

Also - make sure the tank is very stable, with plenty of liverock (filtration) and a good protein skimmer (nutrient export). And don't be surprised if the BTA "wanders" around the tank until it finds the right spot.

Once these aclimate they can be very hardy and even prolific - I have a friend who's 90g "reef" tank is now overgrown with green BTA's, his regularly "split" (one becomes two) and they have slowly killed off his corals and taken over his tank (he has two 250 halide lights plus high-output actinics)

I'm not sure if their the same thing. But I was reading that "Bulb" Anemones are good for Tomato Clowns. Not sure if a "Bubble" Anemone is the same thing.

Also I'm not that far yet... I'm about to start cycling my tank

So your saying that I can't just buy better bulbs and replace them, I would have to get a whole new hood. I'll have to check the watts on my bulbs.

I would rather go with fluorescent to keep my electric bill down (college student)...

If I went with light like a Orbit Hood 2X96 Watt 3-Lunar Lights. Would I need one light fixture or two (4x96 watt)?

I have a 55gal, AMiracle sump, RedSea Berlin Airlift protein skimmer and 3 small powerheads. I plan on having mostly rock, maybe 1 or 2 corals and definatly 1 anemone. With about 4 or 5 fish.

If that Orbit Hood isn't what I need please make some suggestions. I'm fairly new saltwater tanks.

4 x 65watt should be adequate for that species of anemone...
more is better
you won't notice the light bill that much
($5 - $10 a month...guessing)

if i got a light fixture that has...

1- 175watt 20,000k HQI bulb
2- 65watt actinic blue bulbs
4- lunar bluemoon leds

total of 305watts.....

would that be ok for my 55gal, live rock, 1 or 2 coral and definatly a Bulb anemone??

Given a choice of a fixture with one MH, or something in a PC fixture (4x65 or 2x96, etc) on a 55g tank - I'd go with the PC fixture -- if you put a MH in the middle over the plastic brace you'll

a) have an ugly shadow
b) possibly melt the brace if the light is too low

I don't know what Ned has available, but the Orbit or Coralife PC fixtures should work.

Watch out for the anemone stinging/killing your corals.

Sorry I'm new to aquariums... what does MH and PC stand for??
I'm assuming PC stands for Power Compact.....

Whats the difference?? And what does Actinict bulbs do??

sorry - typing too fast, just had coffee

MH is metal halide - the 175w HQI bulb you mentioned.

PC is indeed power compact

Metal Halides are very bright, but get fairly hot.
Powercompacts are slightly less bright per watt compared to MH, but run cooler.
regular flourescent bulbs are signifigantly less bright per watt then either MH or PC bulbs.

Actinic bulbs are "blue" bulbs that provide two main benefits:
a) they make most MH bulbs look "better" (ie less yellow, especially 6500k and 10,000k bulbs) - balancing the tank color out
b) they induce many corals and other inverts to "fluorescence" or glow with interesting colors that are not seen without the actinic lights.

My reef tank with just my 175w (10,000k) MH light looks completely different than it does with my MH and actinics, or even actinics alone.

Ahhhhh... now its all making sense.
The only thing holding me back from getting my tank going is the upgrade to a better light fixture

I'll have to stop by tonight to see what kind of fixtures you have.

Ok last couple of questions and then I'll leave you guys alone.....

My tank is a 55gal high. Approximately how many pounds of bio-sand and live rock will I need? Do you sell or can you order Fiji pink sand? What are you prices for the live rock, bio-sand and Fiji pink sand if you have or can order it?

To help judge how much sand I'll need, I do plan on have a blenny or two, or a gobe or two. So I will need the real fine sand.
And with the rock... I don't want to fill the tank completely with rock so the fish can't move, but i dont want the rock to be scarce.

...according to my reliable reef geek source (Steve)...
...Sebae, bubble tip, & long tentacle anemones should do Okay at about 2 - 3 watts per gallon...
....carpet anemones should have 3.5 - 5 watts per gallon...
...Haitian & Atlantic condylactus do Okay at 1.5 - 2 watts per gallon...
any of them can use more light...

watts per gallon is really just a rule of thumb
what we really need is foot candles per depth of water...
but thats difficult to measure,
so watts per gallon
and experience is our guide

all anemones should get a small chunk of food (flake, thawed shrimp, whatever) maybe once a week

actinic simply means blue (or true actinic : purple)

the blue light is what reaches deep thru the water column

for the aquarium
we usually mix blue and white just to make our marine life look nicer
(when you use blue light only, red marine life appears to be gray)

typically we time the blue lights to come on for 10 - 14 hours per day...
the white lights come on an hour or 2 later for 8 - 12 hours per day
(and go off an hour or 2 before the blue lights go off)