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HOT TIPS Column: October 2005 Issue of Advanced Aquarist

October's theme is "Your Favorite Lighting and Why." Please submit your preferences on your lighting choices and why. Your tips and tricks will help new and existing reefkeepers and also helps to bring the hobby to the next level (plus it's just cool to get published in a magazine like Advanced Aquarist).

When published, your hot tip will have your username published (along with your real name if you so desire). Every month we will be running a new HOT TIP thread so stay tuned and help out when you can.

The staff at both Reefs.org and Advanced Aquarist would like to thank you for your continued interest and support of our online community, magazine, and services.

Let the submissions begin!

Best regards,

Reefs.org and Advanced Aquarist staff

[MandarinFish]

Sunlight, because my corals love it even if the microalgae does too.

In my experience, reefs appreciate natural sunlight and it helps the zooxanthellae hosting species stay happy.

I'm just saying if you can position a tank where sunlight can graze the corals, I've watched them respond with great vigor. It takes a while before they can handle that if they're coming from a non-sunlit source, but they really grow towards the sun.

Solar tubes, fiber optics, or just plain old windows (with some shade and obvious temp control)?

I'll let you know when I have the rest of the system down. I just have strong lighting and my corals love it. My blastos, anemone and acans are very, very happy.

[Len]

I've had the best success with a combination of 10,000-15,000K metal halides and fluorescent actinics. By success, I use growth and pigmentation as my criteria. I've kept many tanks successful with fluorscent-only, power compacts, T5s, and MH-only. But my benchmark continues to be a combination of MH with actinics.

[Wazzel]

My preference is 10K mh with fluoresent actinics. I like being able to stagger the lighing for my tank. Also, I run my MH for only 6 hours a day so it is nice to be able to see the tank even when the MH lights are off.

[mopecula]

10k mh and uri super actinic vho for supplementation. i love the glitter lines from the mh

[melas]

12K Metal Halides supplemented with 96watt Power Compact Actinics.

[moggyhill]

I've upgraded my 300 fowlr to t5's. I love them. What a huge difference in the color of the lr and the fish