Im new to reefing. what king of lighting do i need for my 30gtank

[miahsalvio]

Guys i'm setting up reef aquarium i have 30 gallon 30" long. 13" wide and 16" height. what lighting would be enough for it?

i want to have some nice lps, sps and other types of corals. whats is the requirements that will most likely support the need of large variety of corals for 30g?

i bought this super bright aquazonic slim LED lighting 60cm - 80cm extendable. it has 15pcs 1.5w and 18pcs 0.24w(actinic blue)..
would it be enough or i need more?
it doesnt have dimming feature so it is what it is..

thank you for all that is willing to answer!

[miahsalvio]

http://imgur.com/PhU5OXd
diy overhead sump. (since i do not have space underneath aquarium. it is full of books.)



http://imgur.com/2woW5D5
lighting and LRs

[miahsalvio]

http://imgur.com/PhU5OXd
http://imgur.com/2woW5D5

[Masoch]

That's not much light for coral beyond, maybe, some softies like xenia, green star polyps and mushrooms.

Once you say "SPS", you're up into needing high-powered LEDs or T5HO on a small tank like yours. And the cost, reasonably, goes from about $300US and up for a 30" tank (probably closer to $450). There isn't much cheaping out here. That said, a 24" Maxspec Razor would be a solid choice. The smaller nano model would leave the sides of your tank dark -- a look most people don't care for, but you could probably keep some hardy SPS like montipora directly under the light. For T5 lights, you'd want a quality model with 4 24" lamps (cheap models tend to burn out lamps faster, costing $$$ in the long run as you replace them every 4 months instead of every 9).

Good luck!

[miahsalvio]

That's not much light for coral beyond, maybe, some softies like xenia, green star polyps and mushrooms.

Once you say "SPS", you're up into needing high-powered LEDs or T5HO on a small tank like yours. And the cost, reasonably, goes from about $300US and up for a 30" tank (probably closer to $450). There isn't much cheaping out here. That said, a 24" Maxspec Razor would be a solid choice. The smaller nano model would leave the sides of your tank dark -- a look most people don't care for, but you could probably keep some hardy SPS like montipora directly under the light. For T5 lights, you'd want a quality model with 4 24" lamps (cheap models tend to burn out lamps faster, costing $$$ in the long run as you replace them every 4 months instead of every 9).

Good luck!



-thanks! this fixture is around 27 watts / total of 33 LEDs,
how much more watts do i need to add to become sufficient for sps corals?

[Masoch]

-thanks! this fixture is around 27 watts / total of 33 LEDs,
how much more watts do i need to add to become sufficient for sps corals?
It's not exactly a question of watts, but, rather, the quality of the individual LEDs and the quality of the unit itself. 4 of the lights you listed would not be the equal of a couple small Kessil LEDs even though the total wattage would be roughly the same.

But ... I'm just going to throw this out there. Lights are only part of the equation when it comes to SPS. You also need excellent filtration, stable water parameters, and strong water movement. If any of the above are off, your SPS will not thrive.

You'd probably be better off to chintz on your lights and (I'm making an assumption here) use your savings to drill your 30 and add a sump. You can put all the unsightly bits in the sump (skimmer / heater / ATO / reactors / etc.), and you're primed for long-term success. Also, in-sump equipment tends to be both cheaper and better than HOB equipment.

[azjohnny]

What's your budget

[miahsalvio]

i already have it so i can't go back in time to purchase different brand. too sad i didnt consult earlier. :((

http://www.theaquariumshop.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=5283&name=Aqua+Zonic+Super+Bright+Extendable+LED+Light+Marine+60-80cm+26.82watts

will 2 or 3 of these be sufficient?

[Masoch]

i already have it so i can't go back in time to purchase different brand. too sad i didnt consult earlier. :((

http://www.theaquariumshop.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=5283&name=Aqua+Zonic+Super+Bright+Extendable+LED+Light+Marine+60-80cm+26.82watts

will 2 or 3 of these be sufficient?

Just IMO ... hold off on purchasing any additional lighting and go with what you have. Instead, focus on getting some nice, small fish. Work on keeping your water parameters stable, especially once coralline starts growing. Give it a few months and make sure you don't see any nuisance algae growing or detritus collecting anywhere. It's harder to do than it sounds, especially with a small tank.

If you see algal growth and detritus, it's a reasonably sure sign that you need better nutrient export before you start adding coral. And ... take it slowly. Don't try shooting for a full-blown SPS tank on a budget right off the bat. Setting your expectations too high, especially with a small tank, is a recipe for disappointment. We all make mistakes (I could fill a book), and working within the tight confines and limited water volume of a small tank tends to magnify those mistakes.

[Masoch]

And here is someone else's recent story of using inexpensive LEDs:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2478580

[miahsalvio]

Just IMO ... hold off on purchasing any additional lighting and go with what you have. Instead, focus on getting some nice, small fish. Work on keeping your water parameters stable, especially once coralline starts growing. Give it a few months and make sure you don't see any nuisance algae growing or detritus collecting anywhere. It's harder to do than it sounds, especially with a small tank.

If you see algal growth and detritus, it's a reasonably sure sign that you need better nutrient export before you start adding coral. And ... take it slowly. Don't try shooting for a full-blown SPS tank on a budget right off the bat. Setting your expectations too high, especially with a small tank, is a recipe for disappointment. We all make mistakes (I could fill a book), and working within the tight confines and limited water volume of a small tank tends to magnify those mistakes.

thank you for your advice mate!! i'll consider all of that! :beer:

another question. should i exterminate the crabs? there are 2 or 3 small crabs and 1 about 3/4 inch wide..

[miahsalvio]

can i post a new thread about my tank improvements as a whole? so veteran reefers can guide me in my journey :)