saltydog

I have a 90-gal tank that is 22.5" deep. Just bought the tank, which is empty, and looking to get it set up for fish with live rock and eventually (maybe a year after the tank has been set up) would like an anemone such as a bubble-tipped. I've read four books and multiple web sites and I'm having a hard time understanding lighting. What lighting system would you recommend for this? I know anenomes need lots of light--does that mean I need metal halides? If I buy metal halides, do you think with this size tank I would need a chiller even with the fans they come with? Any help you can give would be much appreciated such as total wattage needed, type of lighting system (HO, VHO, MH, etc.), brand names of good ones, and anything else I need to know. I don't want to spend more $$ than I have to. Thanks!!

P.S. I'm not looking to house any corals or anything, just the fish, live rock, and anenome. Not sure on fish yet, either, other than that I would like some clowns with the bubble-tipped anemone. Thanks again.

Slug

If you don't want any coral or anything like that to start, a simple florescent fixture will work. The fish won't care one way or another. Its the coral you have to take lighting into account for. Without any you can pretty much go cheap. Unless you want to go expensive now incase you want coral in the future.

sgould

To keep an anemone, you will need strong lighting. Bubble tips do not require as intense lights as some other anemones do, but they do still need quite a bit. I would recommend T5s or MH. I have this 432 watt T5 fixture on the tank with my bubble tip. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...2&pcatid=12772

au01st

sgould,

How is the build quality on those? I was planning on getting the 216watt version of that light, and the owner of my LFS said he didn't like those and showed me the only one he had on his display tanks was cracked and had noticeably less light output than the Marineland models on his other tanks. He carries both and the Marineland one was actually cheaper than the Nova, so I know he wasn't trying to upsale me.

Either way, already ordered the Marineland 216watt T5 this morning. Also ordered the rest of the stuff I'll need for setup...getting pretty excited.

sgould

I know the housing on the ends of the fixture can crack, as the material there is just plastic. Mine was originally delivered with cracks in one end around the fans. The company replaced it for me and I have not had any other problems, though I do admit that I handle it pretty carefully when I need to move it around, since that first unit made me a little nervous. The rest of the housing is more solid and does not worry me at all. I can't complain about the output. I am not familiar with the lights you ordered, but Marineland is a well known company, so I am sure they will be good.

saltydog

Thanks! I'll look at those. I might just go with some lesser/cheaper lighting until I'm actually ready for an anenome or something that needs the good lights. Do you think it will be a problem then to acclimate the fish to brighter lights if they've lived for a year or so on dimmer ones? Is it possible with the model you listed to leave some bulbs out or shut some off so that I only run 2 of the bulbs for a week or two, then add another, then another so they don't go into shock from the brightness? Thanks again!

sgould

Fish might hide for a couple of days while they get used to brighter lights. Turn actinics on first for 1/2 hour to an hour, then turn on the daylights. That way they get a "gradual" increase in lighting each day rather than sudden full blast. Yes, you can remove individual bulbs if you want and the others will still work, but I'm not sure I'd bother. Just establish the lighting schedule you want to follow and the fish will get accustomed to it in a day or two.