raeh1 Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 I have a 4 foot tank just set up. Currently I have 2* three foot fluros 1* Marine blue 30watt 1* Marine white 30 watt I want to have an anenome in the future what lighting will I need??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 A dual 250 metal halide setup would be ideal for keeping anything you would ever want. Anemones tend to need a lot of light. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calvin Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 I have learnt the hard way that floro's are deffinately not the way to go at all. I have upgraded my lighting to T5's with 4 tubes (2 x white & 2 x blue). Each tube is something like 35W calculating to about 4.6W per galon of water. I have an anemone in the tank at present that sits about 10cm from the top of my tank, but it really requires a lot MORE lighting. If you are planning to keep an anemone, make sure that you start saving for Metal halide lighting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 I think the flouros would work for the first 20cm of the tank, after that you would get no (very low) growth out of anything lower in the tank. So you could start with them, and as long as you understood the limitations and put most stuff up high in the tank it would work for a while. I would start with mushrooms and pulps etc , basically you only have 60W of light here... how deep is your tank? Layton is probably right on the money with the dual 250's but if tanks over 20in deep I would consider 400W MH's. I use 2 x 250W MH and tank is about 30inches deep, get good growth top 1/2 of tank... so 500W of light is not enough! I am going to upgrade to higher wattage MH once xmas excess is paid off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drifty Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 I have a 4 ft tank with fluros, I have had an anemone for 3 years with no probs, in fact it split and I had to take one back. I do have 5 tubes though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben19185074 Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 I have just brought an anemone and it is about 30cm off my lights (T5s)...it did open up but i think it needs more light. I was hoping the anemone to move to another place high up close to the light but it didn't... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petplanet Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 Lighting depends on the type of anemone you are going to keep. Some, but not all need metal halide lighting. Others are just fine under fluros. Most shops sell them using common names. If you can find out the scientific that is best. Ben, I will bring my anemone book up to the shop on Sunday so you can ID the anemone if you want. Has good info on feeding, lighting, water movement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calvin Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 I have a question. my anemone look as follows: It has a red/dark pink base, green tentakles with faint purple tips. It was identified by a jansens employee as a bulb tip. Now I have never heard of thistype of anemone, only bubble tip. This unfortunately is nto a bubble tip. Any help highly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 it sounds like a green bubble tip other than the red base, some of hem do have purple tips (very nice) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raeh1 Posted January 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 my tank is 48 cm deep. what are T5's I will make a set up if I have to as my mates an Electrician and can get trade for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 t5s are like skinny fouro's that can put out more light Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 IMHO I would go straight to MH, and skip the T5's, chances are you will end up doing it anyway. The T8's (fluro's you currently have) can still be used for blue light, if you buy T5's now either they or the T8's will be a waste of money. Metal Halide will cost you around $500 DIY or secondhand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raeh1 Posted January 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 I have decided to go for Metal halides (150 watt * 2) In a month or so, when I have the cash. Have to buy a new wetsuit first. Surfing always comes first...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 Good choice my tank is 600 deep & has 2x150w yours will work well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 if relating to your anemone steve, to be fair it is sitting quite near the surface Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 his acros need more light than the anemone though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 my new clownfish book talks a lot about lighting. go the metal halide route and choose your anemone spiecies very carefully. most are difficult to keep, much much harder then most people initially think. I will post what the aurther recommends as easier to keep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 If you are going to metal halide, give these guys a call,Lamp Specialists, 444-2297, a guy Cliff will sort you with MH suitable for a marine tank, at a price I doubt you will better. Actually, to be specific, they did me several, for ballast $75.00, bulb housing $45.00, and 10,000k bulb $98.00, all plus GST. If this is too dear, you could just get one and mount over one 1/2 of the tank plus continue to run the floros, and get the other MH as finance permits. General rule of thumb is one MH every 2 feet. So you would get 2 MH's, and set them a foot in from each end of the tank, with a 2 foot gap between. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 these guys i assume? http://www.lampspecialists.co.nz/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 General rule of thumb is one MH every 2 feet. So you would get 2 MH's, and set them a foot in from each end of the tank, with a 2 foot gap between. Wasp I don't think that is quite right, too little light. That would mean on a 6 foot tank you would need only 2 MHs, but on my 7 footer I use 4 and am considering 5. My 5 footer had 2, really needed 3. suphew is setting up a 3 footer with 2, Layton has 3 on his 5 footer, steve with 2 on his 4 footer etc. i had a 3 footer and a single blub was not enough light. Just my thoughts. Pieman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 General rule of thumb is one MH every 2 feet. i would agree with that. Especially if you keep a variety of coral. More light is required if you keep mainly Acropora etc. T5s would also do a good job as you will be able to keep most stock under them. The most important thing when keeping anemoes is water movement as most deaths are due to bactarial infection due to poor water circulation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 Wasp I don't think that is quite right, too little light. That would mean on a 6 foot tank you would need only 2 MHs Pieman Don't quite follow your maths. Using the 2 foot rule on a 6 foot tank, you would have 3 MH's. One a foot in from each end, and one in the middle, being 2 feet apart from the one at each end. However I agree with the general thrust of what you are saying people can vary the amount of light depending on their own livestock needs. But for someone starting out wishing for a mixed "garden" reef, the two foot rule is a good general guide. And Reef hit the nail on the head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 my books states that anenmone's can survive for up to 3 months by devouring their own flesh instead of being feed, it surmises that many starve to death in aquriums.... and states that reasearch in the wild shows they typically will feed approx 3.4% of body mass per day by weight ... they give a recommended light level in W per gallon/liter... i will retrieve it for you tonight. says never buy one that is white.. as rarely recover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 Wasp - Re-read your post. I thought you were saying a MH every 2 feet eg. a 4 footer only needing one, with 2 feet free each side. Different anemones will require different conditions. My H. Magnificia sits high in the tank, under a couple a 400 watter, other anemones I have are surviving under overhangs or right on the bottom of the tank near the end (lowest light area in my tank). So different species require different conditions, which really comes as no surprise. Everything I have read about anemones saying pristine water conditions, extremely high light and good water flow, which I belive I have all of these. So far my anemones look good and none have died, nor have any split. Feeding the anemone is an interesting one, I do NOT feed mine, ever. Although I have seen the clownfish taking food and putting it in its mouth. So shouldn't say its never fed. Some people feed whole lance fish and scollops etc, I do not do this, although I did it for a few months at the start. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 You have a H. Magnifica! Well, you have my respect. Anyone who can maintain one of these for a couple of years or more deserves a compliment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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