High Nano Forum! Lighting questions for a 20 gallon....

[cdeakle]

I got a 20 gallon acrylic show tank with stand for free that I'm using for hyposalinty treatment. When thats all said and done I will set this bad boy up to move some corals over from my 55 reef so my 55 can become a predator tank

The corals to be moved are under a 250 watt 12,000k sunburst with x2 65 watt pc actinics. I have a 175 watt watt ballast thats not being used that I can setup on the nano. Questions:

1) Think the corals can go from the 250 watt 12,000k to a 175 watt 12,000k without any complications?

2) Will a 175 watt MH be overkill on a tank this small? If not can I go larger?

Corals:

Hairy Mushroom
Branching Frogspawn
Colony Polyp

-puff

 

[reefann]

With those corals you should see no ill effects.
175watts over a 20 gallon is plenty of light. But, in my opinion, not overkill at all! Some may feel differently. You just need to be sure that the tank can deal with the extra heat.
Yes some have put even more light over a tank that size. Look over at RC and a member has 400watts over his 20, the growth over one year was amazing. I feel that with 175watts you should be free to do pretty much anything (clams, sps).
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[reefann]

BTW what is going to go into your predator tank?
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[cdeakle]

I just got a 90 gallon glass tank and I'm finishing a custom stand (in DIY forum). So now I dont know what to do! lol

I think I'll store the 90 when stand is done and save for someday when I get a bigger place. So I think I'll still go predator in the 55. I havent checked compatability but here is a list of predators I thought would be cool:

Volitan Lionfish
(Pterois volitans)

Blue Throat Triggerfish
(Xanthichthys auromarginatus)

Snowflake Eel
(Echidna nebulosa)

I planned on getting really small ones and when they got bigger I can always upgrade to the 90. What do you think?

-puff

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I was going to say a 55 is a bit small for a volitan lion. (12" wide tank, 13" long max size, and they grow fast!) A 90 should be fine for all three though.