watts per gallon

[paul wh]

ok after a complete change of plan i have changed my 500 litre tank for a 230 litre as my first tank could you tell me what watt of light should i be looking for
watts per gallon
iv seen on the forum that 4 watts per gallon is ample how ever im looking to keep corals i have found a company in the uk that make lighing for tanks now ive looked at a 4 bulb t5 (54w each) which will give me just over 4 watt per gal
but they can add more bulbs (in pairs) so 6 would give me just over 6 walls per gallon
your thoughts please

[Reefing Madness]

ok after a complete change of plan i have changed my 500 litre tank for a 230 litre as my first tank could you tell me what watt of light should i be looking for
watts per gallon
iv seen on the forum that 4 watts per gallon is ample how ever im looking to keep corals i have found a company in the uk that make lighing for tanks now ive looked at a 4 bulb t5 (54w each) which will give me just over 4 watt per gal
but they can add more bulbs (in pairs) so 6 would give me just over 6 walls per gallon
your thoughts please

4 Watts per gallon is a general rule to start with. If you tank is 18" deep or less, you'll need more light if your tank is deeper. You'd be in good shape either way using the 6 lamp unit. But, I'd recommend using Halides or LED if your tank is over 21" deep.

[reeferbill]

Go for the 6 bulbs instead of 4and Welcome to Reefland!

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

The general guideline is 3-5 watts per gallon. 230L equates to about 60 U.S. gallons so either the 4 or 6 bulb fixture would be in range. Much depends on what kinds of corals you wish to house and how much "flexibility" you want from the fixture. If you want a mixed reef with the ability to place high light corals lower in the tank, the 6 bulb would be a better option (IMO). Also, having 6 bulbs gives you more ability to combine different spectrum bulbs to achieve the look you want. The 4 bulb fixture would do just fine, however. I have a 6 bulb over my 75 gallon and i have to be careful about where to put certian corals. For example, if i move my acans or favia any higher than a couple inches off the bottom, they'll begin to bleach. I also have a chalice in the sand that's begining to show signs of bleaching. I'll have to move it to a more shaded area before too soon. If I had a 4 bulb fixture, im sure they would be fine where i origionally had them (about 1/3 to 3/4 the way down).

[paul wh]

ok cheers for your help my tank is 18" deep i like the t5 route as the heat is minimmal i have looked at the metal hal route and still might go that way or mixed ligth have looked at led but there is not einough data yet