Coralife Compacts good for 125 gallon with LR and maybe some corals?

[sasscuba]

Coralife Compacts good for 125 gallon with LR and maybe some corals?
Am looking at buying 2 of the 36 Coralife Aqualight Single Compact Fluorescent Strip Lights.

Will this be good for my 125 gallon doing LR and maybe some corals down the line?

Doctor Fostors has them for $99.99 each so it is affordable. Never want to get into a full reef tank just keep my LR alive and do some small corals later.

Thanks.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=9871&N=2004+113345

 

[kimoy]

it depends on what kind of corals are you planning to keep. i had a coralife 260 watts on my 55gal reef. knowing what livestock you want to keep will help....

 

[sasscuba]

soft corals mostly

 

[fishman]

U need 3-4 watts per gallon for softies .At 4 watts u need 500 watts for a 125.Both of those light will get 200 watts.

 

[bkv1997]

I would use three 250 watt 14k metal halides.......

Magnetic Ballast Systems

If you don't mind going retrofit in a canopy you get get the the retro kit and bulb for about 125-150 each.

If money is an issue just get one for the center of the tank keep your corals there and over time you can add one to each end. This is what I would honestly do, if not you will most likely just end up upgrading and spending more money in the long run.

Brandon

 

[squibley2]

I would absolutely agree with Brandon, on a 125 you need a lot more light then the 2 lights that you were looking at even for softies and other low light coral. I have 2 250w 14K Hamiltons over a 55 (ok I know I went on the high side). But a few 250s or a few 400s over a 125 is what I would consider the bare bottom of what I would go with. I would personally say 3 250s or 3 400s with some VHOs for supliment. The supliment would not really be needed if you went with something like a Hamilton 14K but you might want to add it for the dusk dawn effect or just for added color for the corals.

 

[d.french]

my 125 has a combined 834 watts over it 3 150 watt 10,000k and 4 96 watt blue actnic 460/420nm. i got mushrooms, polyps, zoos, leathers, candy canes,white pulsating xenia all spreading like crazy.

 

[jhnrb]

I agree your proposed lights are not enough for corals. As a minimum you will need at least 4 - 96 watt compacts. You would probably be better off considering some of the other combos posted by others above.