Nano Question.

[Fatamaran]

I've had freshwater fish for a long time and have played with sea water fish and am now looking to set up a litle reef nano. I have a 14gallon tank with dual 18 watt hydroponic lights over the top, is this this sufficent lighting, they seem to be pretty bright.

also is it a good idea to have a sump with such a litle tank, i was thinking of getting a huge sump for the litle tank, to eliminate water conditions and so forth.

any other comments, ideas, tips welcome.

[9fishers]

Im not sure if thats enough lighting or not. I guess it depends on what you want to have in your tank.For fish only, I think it would be Ok. However if you want shrooms and softies on live rock, you may need to double the wattage. And then if you want hard corals, you may need 4x's as much. I am sure that some of the really knowledgable folks around here will get you up and going.
And by the way.......

[ckreef]

Was that 2 x 18watts for 36 watts total ????

If so that might work OK for shrooms, softies and some LPS. Being Hydroponics lighting the question of spectrum really comes into play. It is my limited understanding that hydroponics lighting would have a much yellower spectrum of light. Corals really like the blue (actinic spectrum). The Hydroponics lighting might give you more problems w/ algae then you want.

Post the exact specs on the lighting and we might be able to make a more precise recommendation.

[reiple]

Hello Fatamaran!

You can add a sump but technically it won't be a nano anymore. Still, would make life easier. One method is dividing the tank so you can have an area where you can hide everything else. This is workable.

As for lights you will need actinic. Mix it with 50/50 bulbs or get actinic and add a PC daylight.

Limiting as it is, when your tank cycles you could keep nice corals like brains, mushrooms, polyps and even some sponges.

Good luck!

http://www.nano-reef.com/reiple/

[Fatamaran]

Come to think of it, ever since i put the lights on algae has been flyiing up left right and centre.anyway the lights are as- sylvania gro-lux F18w/gro . thats all it has on the tubes, i can get a another light fixture to take it 3x 2 foot holder light things.i also have a biggish ballast, cant remember wattage, would it pay to hook it up to my lights?

[ckreef]

Thats your typical plant grow bulb --- definatly want to change it out for an aquarium type bulb --- maybe a 50/50 or a 6500 and Actinic 03

[sammy33]

What are the dimensions of your tank?

My 15g is 18 inches high and I have 72 watts of PC light over it which sometimes I think is not enough.

[Fatamaran]

MY tank is 75cm x 30cm wide x 35cm high, don't know that in inches but its about 2 foot by 1 by 1, roughly.