Is my light strong enough for soft coral?

[JacoboWM]

so i recently bought this light fixture, its called Deep Blue SolarMax HE Double T5 with moonlight LEDs. It has (1) 10,000k Daylight Lamp (1)Actinic-03 Lamp and 8 Blue LEDs.

I am not new to keeping just fish but i do not have much experience with corals and things. I just dont want to spend my money if its gonna die.

[biecacka]

What size tank?
Corey

[JacoboWM]

im sorry i completely forgot to put that. its a 55 gallon. 48 inches long, and about 20 inches deep

[Mark Bianco]

Any low light coral should be fine Look on Live Aquaria and see what corals you like that have a low light requirement.

Mushrooms, Leathers and some polyps are fine.

Mark

[Michigan Mike]

4x54w T5HO is better, trust me.
At least use good bulbs like ATI,KZ, or GIESSEMAN regardlessu until you upgrade...and you will.

[JacoboWM]

cause i went to a pet store and in their reef tank they have the same fixture i do. im assuming the same bulbs. but that tank isnt as deep as mine. so those bulbs that Michigan Mike fit into my fixture? leathers? like toadstool?

[GrampaDon]

toadstool or leather's wont do well without more light, but they might still live.
Better just get a 4 bulb light if buying something new.
Then most softy's and many LPS will be fine.

[squishifishi]

palys and mushrooms are the best low light corals imo. mylfs keeps them in an un-lit tankand they still grow. You can find some really nice colors too. good luck!

[Michigan Mike]

If its a 48" t5HO , the bulbs are actually a couple inches shorter but they are standard sizes.

Mushrooms may live well enough but a toadstool leather will need strong lighting, they can handle huge amounts of lighting and benefit from it too. They quickly become a great coral & one of my personal favorites in my tanks.

4x54w T5HO with good bulbs like ATI,KZ,GIESSEMAN and you are good to go as long as you place coral properly.

[Michigan Mike]

I don't think you have T5HO. I think you have normal output T5 , check your wattage on the bulbs. If they aren't 54w for a 48" bulb its not T5High Output, which is no beuno.

[pkirby]

If its T5HO then I believe you'll be fine with soft corals... Possibly LPS. If you do upgrade to a 4 bulb T5HO fixture, I ran one on a 75 gallon and grew acropora well in the top half of the tank, LPS well at the bottom. I actually was bleaching some montipora until I moved it lower in the tank. A lot has to do with water quality. I think a lot of times we are throwing more light than is really needed at our corals. Just my 2c

[jabbott]

yup that is a normal t5 fixture not t5ho. That is basically just for fish.
You need to buy a 4 bulb t5ho to keep coral.
Your light will not work.

[JacoboWM]

thank you everyone. i really appriciate it. i guess i need a bigger bulb lol. you guys have been much help. ill keep everyone updated on the progress.

[Michigan Mike]

thank you everyone. i really appriciate it. i guess i need a bigger bulb lol. you guys have been much help. ill keep everyone updated on the progress.

You need different ballasts, bulbs, basically everything. I would take it back and tell them they misguided you for your needs/tank.

[JacoboWM]

well i told them that eventually i wanted to do corals after i do the research and all that. so they recommended me that light fixture because its a fish only tank right now and this fixture lights my tank up so much better then the bulbs i had before. right now im just doing research and all that. i just wanted to get some opionions in case i didnt have to get a bigger bulb. right now im in class so i cant test my water and put up the results but it should be fine, the tank has been up for about 2 years now, and i believe all my fish are reef safe. One spot foxface, desjardini sailfin, yellowtail damsel, marroon clown and a purple dottyback.

do you think i should maybe get a mushroom frag for like 10 bucks and see how it does. i can always move it over to my friends reef if it doesnt do so good...

[JacoboWM]

palys and mushrooms are the best low light corals imo. mylfs keeps them in an un-lit tankand they still grow. You can find some really nice colors too. good luck!

smart to follow?

[Michigan Mike]

well i told them that eventually i wanted to do corals after i do the research and all that. so they recommended me that light fixture because its a fish only tank right now and this fixture lights my tank up so much better then the bulbs i had before. right now im just doing research and all that. i just wanted to get some opionions in case i didnt have to get a bigger bulb. right now im in class so i cant test my water and put up the results but it should be fine, the tank has been up for about 2 years now, and i believe all my fish are reef safe. One spot foxface, desjardini sailfin, yellowtail damsel, marroon clown and a purple dottyback.

do you think i should maybe get a mushroom frag for like 10 bucks and see how it does. i can always move it over to my friends reef if it doesnt do so good...

Okay I understand.

Ya your fish are fine for corals but your lighting isn't. You can try mushrooms & coral that don't need light but they are pretty tricky to keep thriving.

I would upgrade your lighting if your serious about coral.

[JacoboWM]

I'm pretty serious lol. I'll try a small frag and see how it does. A lfs by me sells single mushrooms on little rocks. I guess I'll try one and hope for the best.