Once and for all!!!

[MeTaLMaN1375]

Ok I been doing a lot of reading up on lighting and what type is needed for coral and or anenomes and well I have power compact lights two bights at 96 watts and 2 blues been thinking about replacing one of the blues with another bright light. Now all the reading I been doing has pulled up mixed results about metal hilights and power compacts and so forth with about 80% of the reading saying that I can keep most all coral lps and sps and most likely a bubble tip anenome with power compacts but definitely not a whole lot of options on the anenome side of it just the bubble tips and about 20% of the reading turned up saying I can only keep lps coral with the current lighting I have. I would like to settle this and find out really is the 80% right or 20%.

BTW I have to Duncan Coral that Im keeping at the top of the tank that are growing really fast and thriving I know that with the right lighting they are mid to low level at best so I will be moving them down a notch just to see how they do.

One more thing I have what looks like dust particles in my tank its not micro air bubbles is garbage and my skimmer is working great so why do I have tons of particles floating around in my tank?

[Buzzword]

With power compacts you can keep LPS, softies, zoas, and palys. No SPS or clams they will not live under that lighting for any length of time. Questionable about the Bubble tip, have seen a person with RBT in 30g with PC's that lived just fine at the top of his tank.

[thegrun]

With power compacts you can keep LPS, softies, zoas, and palys. No SPS or clams they will not live under that lighting for any length of time. Questionable about the Bubble tip, have seen a person with RBT in 30g with PC's that lived just fine at the top of his tank.

+1, and the long term outlook for a bubble tip anemone would not be good either.

[MeTaLMaN1375]

There is so much conflicting info out there on lighting.
Anything on the particles in my tank anyone have any ideas on that?

[sasharotty]

I have heard of people using pc's for nems. I wouldnt suggest it either though long term. As far as the particulate what kind of sand do you have and what kind of flow? Could it be grabbing the sandbed? Try adjusting ph's and if you have enough room in the sump add a filter sock.

[cfredallen]

I am running 4 65W PC on my 90 Gallon 2 super Actinic and 2 actinic whites. Clam is doing fine for over a year. 2 Montiporas at mid level also doing great and growing like crazy. Don't know if I would recommend it for some of the more finicky SPS though. Only real issue with PC is bulb life. The manufacturers say they are good for up to 12 months but I replace every 6 or things start to not do so great. Planning to switch to DIY LED soon but PC been working great so far.


IMHO if you are planning to start replacing lights go to LED not Metal Halides. LEDs longer life and less power and less heat transfer to the water.

[MeTaLMaN1375]

Ya see my problem is I got to stick to what I can afford for the moment but hopefully eventually Ill get LEDs thats what I really want. Anyways I moved my powerheads around they were mostly facing straight in a slight upward angle so it couldnt be sand kicking around and the tank was fine one moment nothing different happened then the next floating particles all over looks like dusty water lol