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I just came back from an opening of a fish shop in Sydney and they have a 40cm deep coral/life rock tank. They have 4 150watt MHs but they are about 1.5m above the water surface. I asked the owner how come they place the MH so high above the water as not much light will penetrate throught the water. The tank was kind of cloudy from the die off the algaes on the liverock and a magnifica anemonie. I suggested to place the MHs 30cm above the surface but they said it was ok.

If the tank is for corals such as SPS and softies and clams. As well as LR...will the lighting placed that high be ok for them? Or should they lower the lighting?

They also have a cycling display tank quite deep (over 50cm deep) and I think its about a 4ft tank. The lighting they have are also a few 150watt MHs. But, the lighting is about 40-50cm above the surface of the water. If they was to place SPS, clams and softies...do you they are ok to keep them alive?

I personally think they should lower their lighting on boths tanks to allow more light to penetrate through the water volume.

Please comment.
Steve

Most LFS concentrate on keeping corals alive (key word) for a few days until they are sold, not making them thrive (key word).

Personally, it might look good but having them that high is fairly silly IMO, i have my 250's exactly 4" from the surface and if it was physically possible i would have them lower. Thats me though and i do some seriously silly things

I want the light in the tank, not on my walls!

p.l.u.r
Matt

Cake > Pie

They would get more light benefit from having the lighting lower.......of course it doesnt always make it easy on LFS's. You have to remember that they, as Matt stated, are there to keep the corals alive, and still looking good till they are sold. The light being that high will do a good job of that.

One other thing you have to remember is that if they are constantly getting things in and out of the tank, the height in lighting will make it so they dont have to worry about getting the lighting wet, burning themselves, or moving the light up and down or out of the way. It also lets customers get a top view of the corals to see the true colors, if they tanks are low enough to allow that.

Was just thinking about this some more... i actually think its great they have the halides there, as there would still be far more usable light than there would be if it had the good old standard fluro on top so in a way they are to be commended.

I have never worked in a LFS and didnt think about what Nate said, but after reading that and from that point of view its obvious why they chose that height..

p.l.u.r
Matt

Cake > Pie

I guess you guys are right, but what happens if the corals dont open up? Like the Magnifica anemone, it was placed in there a week ago as I know the owners but it hasnt opened up and shows results of dieing. I dont think people are going to purchase dieing looking corals.

Chances are the anemone is dying from other things rather than lighting. I had never had problems with the corals at the stores that I worked at with lighting that was higher than recommended.

Mango, a few of my corals were bought with me thinking they showed good extension, but upon having them in my tank for a week or two they have expanded well, well beyond what they were in the store.

Corals get "stressed" through transport too, and sometimes all it takes is appropriate conditions for this to be reversed.... that being said, anything that really looks like its on its way out should be avoided as you know

p.l.u.r
Matt

Cake > Pie