Hardy coral that lives on low lighting?

[genwhy]

I currently have a FOWLR aquarium, and I'm planning on add corals which kind of a hardy coral should I buy? My lighthing right now is a dual 30w 10000k and a 30w actinc Fluorescent sitting on top of my 65gl tank (36x24x18)

[Bob I]

I am not an expert, but I would be very hard pressed to think of any coral that would survive, let alone grow under lighting that low. There might be the odd mushroom or polyp that might survive, but I doubt it. :sad:

[PFisher]

I have a what most would consider low lighting (50W of NO fluorescent and 60 W of T5s over a 33g) and the mushrooms that I have in open areas grow like crazy, there are even a couple that have found homes in shaded areas that are doing fine. They are not growing as fast as the ones that get more light, but they are still growing. So I would feel comfortable suggesting mushrooms to you, just pace them high in the tank. But as Bob stated, don't expect spectacular growth.

[Cap'n]

I have two 26 watt compact fluorescents in a DIY light bar and a 30" actinic on a 55gal.

Green star polyps are spreading everywhere I put them. Red and purple mushroom colonies are expanding. Green mushrooms are not growing as fast but are definately doing well. I have already split the frag of green zoos I got a few months ago because it was getting too big for the spot I originally placed it. The orange and green zoo frag I recently had to tear apart to kill an aiptasia ended up in 6 different pieces which are all adjusting well. One of the smaller pieces slipped off the frag I had it mounted on and ended up on the sand bed where the four polyps are fully opened and look healthy. Just got a frag of devil's hand coral which has puffed itself up and extends its little yellow polyps daily.

All these are doing well, don't see why GenWhy couldn't have the same luck. The one coral that is not doing so well is the first one I ever bought, clove polyps (I think) that had their colour fade away. The colony is still expanding but they look pretty bland.

[Bob I]

You have to take into account that Compact Fluorescents have about three times the light output of NO fluorescents. T5 tubes also put out much more light than NO tubes. The original poster has three NO 30W tubes over a two foot deep tank. We are talking about less than 1.5 W per gallon. That folks is a seriously underlit tank. :rolleyes:

[Cap'n]

I know next to nothing about tank lighting. I just took a look at what I have:

(2) 26W envirolight (corkscrew shaped thingy, about $30 @ LFS)
(1) 25W actinic tube 30"

Don't plan to upgrade, don't plan to try any difficult corals. I'm amazed with what is growing in my tank now. I hope that innocence remains and I don't get bored!

[Bob I]

I know next to nothing about tank lighting. I just took a look at what I have:

(2) 26W envirolight (corkscrew shaped thingy, about $30 @ LFS)
(1) 25W actinic tube 30"

Don't plan to upgrade, don't plan to try any difficult corals. I'm amazed with what is growing in my tank now. I hope that innocence remains and I don't get bored!

If you are happy with it that is all that counts, and don't let anyone tell you differently. :eek: