Lighting?

[reef-rookie]

I recently purchased a 49 gallon bowfront tank and after doing what I thought was ample research, I began to buy things for my first saltwater tank. My plan and whole reason for this tank was to eventually have a couple of maroon clowns and a few diffrent types of anenome. (bubble tip & long tentacle)

My concern now is that it seems nothing I prepared for was correct and this thing is coSting me a small fortune and I havent even added any fish. (other then a few damsels)

Here is my current tank config:

49 gallon bowfront tank
Aqua Clear 70 filter
BAK-PAK Dual Pak skimmer
hydor koralia 2 600 pgh (powerhead)
40 pounds of live sand
30 pounds of live fiji rock
36" Coralife Actinic 30 Watt bulb

I think that I have been at the mercy of the guys at the stores, when i go in. Now that my budget is gone and Im still without fish I need help! Judging by the cost of everything else Im guessing that this bulb (which says for saltwater and reef tanks) is NOT really what I need. If anyone can help me find an efficient system without causing me to get divorced it would be much apprecaited!

-NOOB

[Reeftanker3295]

Bubble tip anemones need a good amount of lighting, like 150w halides or T5HO's with individual reflectors and long tentacle anemones need lighting stronger than what you have on there now.. Maroon clowns' natural host are Bubble tip anemones so if you want bubble tip anemones youll need halides, which are expensive. What are your tanks dimensions?

[reef-rookie]

36" wide
12" deep
20" tall

and thanks for getting back so quikly. Im really anxious to get this thing going. But the one thing I have read thats consistant is DONT rush it.

THanks, Nick

[Reeftanker3295]

No problem, i know how you feel haha. Ok so a 20 inch deep tank is good for a 150w halide. Ill look around for you but just warning you now, halides are not cheap lights.

[Reeftanker3295]

This will probably be fine http://www.marinedepot.com/36_inch_C...U01041-vi.html

[reef-rookie]

Holly shnikies... I may have to rethink this tank! or find a new wife... hmm... any other ideas or possible combonations of clowns and other anemone that require someting less expensive?

Either way I really appreciate the help.

Nick

[Reeftanker3295]

You could try maroons and LTAs (long tentacle anemone) and they might host, but id reccomend getting tomato clowns or percula clowns or something like that, BTAs require too much light, LTA's do fine under a lot of lighting, i had one under PC bulbs in my biocube and it did great.

[reef-rookie]

thanks! this give me hope... My main desire here was the maroon clown not the BTA, i just heard they kinda went hand in hand.

BTW. im enjoying looking at your tanks! one day Im gonna have fish in mine too!

[Reeftanker3295]

Haha i wish i could enjoy looking at my biocube but theres always a problem with it i hate the look of hair algae and cyano and thats why im making a 55 gallon native tank for fish, my eel and macro algae, this way no algae will grow except the beautiful algae i want to see and no protein skimmer is needed because the algae feeds off the nitrates that are in the tank! Its a perfect idea. haha. Im looking at lights for you ill send you some links when i find some. You have any sort of budget?

[Reeftanker3295]

O and id reccomend gold stripe maroons, they have the pretty maroon color and that amazing gold stripe

[reef-rookie]

without sounding crazy... I'd like to stay under $150 if possible. Im at about 1100.00 so far and I only started a few days ago. Of course I had to buy everything (tank and stand too) I am willing to switch from the BTA and maroons, to something else (another type of clown and anemone) if it will allow me to keep my present light or stay under 150.00 more. If i have to go over $150 I might as well go for what i want, with the BTA's and maroons. Just have to move the fish tank out to the dog house where my wife will be making me sleep.

[reef-rookie]

Originally Posted by Reeftanker3295

O and id reccomend gold stripe maroons, they have the pretty maroon color and that amazing gold stripe

that is the exact ones I wanted... I have also seen a maroon with yellow stripes, that i love!

[Reeftanker3295]

Hmm well heres a PC fixture for 200.. Thats about as cheap as you can get and i think that will be enough to keep an LTA. If you want to you can get your maroon clowns now and then save up and in a couple months or whatever you can get your halide fixture, then buy a BTA and be able to keep and coral you want.
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...&tab=0&size=36

[reef-rookie]

thanks for all your help. I think im gonna go that route... get the fish I like now then get the light and BTA in a little while.

[Reeftanker3295]

Good choice, that also allows time for your tank to really mature and then the anemone will do better when you do add it and this gives you more time to spend on this site and learn about halides! haha. Feel free to post any questions you have here