dan_from_nz Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 I am setting up my 100L nano reef tank (slightly oversized for a nano but it is a tank i have lying around) and am wondering how much lighting to use I have always read 1watt per liter however, with such a small tank surely you cant go down to 100 watts I was sortof thinking 3 3' vho's and running them on three timers that overlap, so that all three are only on at once for about one hour and starting and ending the day with just one. I am considering VHO because of the fact that they aparently burn cooler and I dont plan on running a refridgerator (however will set up several inductor and extractor fans on thermo's) would this be enough lighting (I am planning on having one medium sized anemonie and a few other corals not sure what just small hardy ones with a bit of colour) Also is there a fish store in the north island south of taupo that has marine products i couldnt even find one (except for a small one in kapiti that is quite good but as the shop is small the range is also) reagrds Daniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Holiday Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 Everything I've read, suggests 3-5 watts per "gallon", Much of this depends on what livestock you are keeping. Your best bet is to think about what corals you plan on keeping and read up about thier light requirements before you go purchasing any lights. If you are going for just a few softies like the anemone and maybe some brains and leathers etc.. then the VHO's would be a good bet. But if want to keep the likes of acropora, etc... then you are going to have to consider metal halide lighting, maybe a couple of 175 watt halides with a couple of compacts this should bring your lighting to around 5 watts a "gallon" with is sufficient for these kind of corals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 4 watts per gallon is the minimum (more or less 1 per litre) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 two 175w imo would be over kill in a 100l tank one 150w at 14k with one actinic 3' would be heaps for almost anything (imo acropora included) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Holiday Posted September 16, 2004 Report Share Posted September 16, 2004 Sorry, my mistake again, every thing that I have read is quoted in gallons and then everyone hear talks in litres, can be very confusing, so just disregard everything i said previously.. :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 16, 2004 Report Share Posted September 16, 2004 typically, 2 x 175W for 100 litre is overkill... however i've read on RC some guys who actually have this sort of lighting on such small tanks! (just imagine what that would look like!) for your average 100 litre though, brian is about right - IMO too a single 150W would be sufficient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted September 16, 2004 Report Share Posted September 16, 2004 ill post a pic tonight of my brothers tank 130 od litre with 150W of mh no flouro very bright no problems with the corals i have in there at the mo as per chimera's comment, if you want overkill check out nano-reef.com, these guys are nuts i.e guy with 12watts per gallon guy with rbta in a 3g and allot of them have mh on their tanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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