Aquarium Lighting

Question
Hello,
I am setting up a 65g saltwater aquarium and am a little stuck on choosing lighting for it.  The aquarium depth is 24" and I've been reading that that plays an important role, depending on what I keep.  I plan to have some LPS and/or anemones, live rock, etc... So what type of lighting fixture would work with a setup like this?  And should there be a specific wattage when choosing for keeping specific corals?  Thanks for the help:)

Answer

Combination Lighting F Hi Malik,

Regarding your 65 Gallon and your plans for it. I'd definitely recommend a full lighting fixture, which includes (MH's) Metal Halides, so your options are open for the future. This type of light fixture offers a wide spectrum of lighting with varying Kelvins, catering to an array of coral life.

My recommendations for you are to not end up like many hobbyists do. Often times hobbyists end up spending less in the beginning on lights that would only be able to house softies, and then they have to upgrade later on. In the end it would actually cost less and you would get some nice softie growth by the time you get hard corals.

One particular light fixture that I can personally recommend, if money allows, is the unit below from our web-store. It's the Aquatic Life 36 Inch Metal Halide High OutPut T5 with Lunar Lights. This would be great for a 65 Gallon Reef Aquarium with mixed corals.
http://www.ocreef.com/aquaticlife_36_inch_fixture_1x150_watt_hdi_metal_halide_2x...

If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Happy saltwater fish keeping!

Take Care.

Regards,
Dave

All Experts - Editor

OCReef.com - Director