Is Metal Halide Lighting too much for Softies?

Puff · #1 06-28-2006, 10:53 PM

as the title asks....is MH lighting too strong to keep softies in a tank?

i really like softies and am leaning towards doing some in my tank, but i also eventually wanted to keep some anenomes or something similar, so i need the strong lighting.

so will the MH roast the softies in their place? are there some softies that tolerate it better than others?

what are the hardiest soft corals?

OCDP · #2 06-29-2006, 12:30 AM

I'm not a softie expert or anything, but you can definitely keep them under MH. It's all a matter of placement if you have a lot of MH. If you can provide shady areas, then that's probably best. But, I have seen lots of toadstool's thriving under MH. Another key to keeping softies under MH is acclimating them to the intense lighting.

I think most softies are fairly hardy corals. This is why they are recommended to those fairly new to the hobby, so they can get the hang of keeping corals and what not...

HTH.

mark · #3 06-29-2006, 12:36 AM

The Xenia I have love my MH and I'm really like them.

Not knocking SPS (wish I had more) but it's just eye candy, compared the the effect of sitting back after a day at work and watching the softies swaying back and forth in the current.

Running 2-250W MH on a 145g, 24" deep. Xenia are placed mid tank, full exposure and still spreading higher on their own.

OCDP · #4 06-29-2006, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark

Not knocking SPS (wish I had more) but it's just eye candy, compared the the effect of sitting back after a day at work and watching the softies swaying back and forth in the current.

I totally agree with this. As nice as SPS are, they don't "do" anything.. I would put xenia in my tank but I just can't chance it choking out everything else.

TheReefGeek · #5 06-29-2006, 02:44 PM

I have xenia who climbed all the way to the top of my tank below a 400w halide. I halso have a very large colt coral under a 250, the top almost come out of the water, and my kenya tree propagates like crazy under MH too.

I have zoos, GSP, etc. lower in the tank tank that do just fine too, they could probably move up but I like them where they are.

I agree, I love to watch my xenia and other softies swaying in the tank current.

doch · #6 07-01-2006, 04:06 AM

I too have many softies under 2x400W Halides. When I put the halides on went from 260W of PC to that plus 800W of halide with very little precaution for acclimation and everything did just fine. I had the PC's up for about a year before getting the Halides and all the softies are doing MUCH better now.