Reef Lighting

Question
QUESTION: Someone told me over the weekend that the white bulbs are more powerful than blue buls. If you are going to have corals, what are the best color and type T-5's to use? I also have a small 10 gallon Via-Aqua that came with a PC on it. It has 2 18-watt bulbs in it. I do not know how old they are and all the person that I found them from had in it was live rock and snail. Right now I have moved my 2 clown fish into it. I am going to replace the bulbs, what would be the best PC bulb type to use.


ANSWER: Hi Debbie,
Corals have different requirements and needs as far as lighting goes. Using the reef rule of thumb of 3 to 5 watts per gallon usually covers the basic lighting needs. Soft corals require less lighting than hard/stony corals. The blue actinic lighting is a different spectrum. A broader spectrum of lighting applied to the habitat increases energy, which in turn increases growth, health, and coloration. This energy is consumed by zooxanthellae algae that produce by products that the corals need to survive, a true symbiotic relationship. So the combination of higher wattage and higher kelvin daylight/reef sun lighting and the blue spectrum is advised. You will see the healthier animal with the combination as opposed to one or the other. No corals can survive on simply blue actinic. Coralife makes great bulbs and pc's. They make individual spectral bulbs as well as what they refer to as 50/50 bulbs(50%actinic / 50%fullspectrum) and most are quite affordable. I personally use GE full spectrum 10,000 or 15,000 kelvin grow bulbs(available at any home center cheaply) and enhance with 50/50 bulbs and blue actinics. Just remember, full spectrum amd additional blue actinic supplement is best. And between 3 to 5 watts per gallon to calculate the wattage for your lighting. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

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QUESTION: So on my 10 gallon that will hold 2 PC bulbs, what combination would be best.
On my 6 foot 100 gallon, I have a 48 inch T-5 with 2 Power Glo and 2 Marine Glo tubes in it. I had 2 tubes burn out at once and they were the only place in town that had any T-5's in stock. I also had an extra 20 inch Coralife PC that I stuck across one end (to fill in the end and because I had no place to store it.) I am not sure what is in it, but I think they are all white tubes because it gives off a yellow tone instead of bright(kind of blue) like the T-5.
One more question? I finally got my pop-eye clown out and in my tank at work. I started the melafix, but now I noticed he has ich (his immune system must really be low). Is there something that I can safely use to treat the ich. This tank has sand in it and will I plan at some point to add rock and coral. I do not want to use copper and I want it to be safe with the Melafix. He seems miserable.

ANSWER: Hi Debbie,
I would alwasy use 1 of each in a 2 light fixture. As long as you are getting between the 3 and 5 watts per gallon. T-5's shouldnt need any supplementation except in the 2 food space the 4 foot T-5 doesnt reach.
I'm sure he is miserable. Im sorry. Paraguard, by Seachem is the only med I know of that works without copper or trace metals. Now, the problem you have is that ich(cryptocaryon irritans) is a parasite that really is only visible when in its encrusting stage on the skin of a host. After this stage it drops off into the substrate, then moves to a free swimming stage, then back to the fish and the crystal/encrusting stage. Are there any other fish in the tank at your workplace? If not I would treat the whole system, then wait to restock or add corals to it. Thats the problem with not having a hospital or qt without a substrate. It can really prolong treatments and put off other goals for a tank. Just treat and wait. After treating this guy, big water changes over a month or 2 will get the meds out of the system. Good luck. Let me know how it goes.

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QUESTION: I have had good luck with Kick-Ich and Ich-Attack. Are either of those safe to use with Metafix?

Back to lights for a second that 20 inch Coralife just has a single 18 watt in it. Right now it has a single white bulb in it. Would it be better with a 50/50 in it?

Answer
Hi Debbie,
It is my understanding that both of those treatments have copper in them. I have no experience mixing them with other meds either. So I really cant advise there. I generally would go with something like paraguard, covers multiple ailments and you dont run the risk of toxicity when mixing meds.
Yes a 50/50 would be better in the single light fixture.