LIGHTING PART 1

There are many ways to maintain AN aquarium. What you must first decide is the types of animals you want to keep. If you would like to try organisms that require lots of light, such as corals or zoanthids, then a single fluorescent lamp, no matter what the spectrum, is inadequate. I should qualify that by saying that there are various types of fluorescent lamp wattages — regular, high and very high output (VHO) — from which to choose, and you could manage quite well with a single VHO lamp depending on what you wish to keep.

You can maintain live rock with a pair of regular output fluorescent lamps, and still see some algal growth — especially coralline algae — provided the water chemistry is adequate (proper alkalinity and calcium levels, and so on). But, if you hope to keep any corals or other light-dependent organisms, you will need at least four regular or two VHO lamps.

Basically, the more light you can provide, the better your animals will do. Within reason that is. So, welcome to the great lighting debate. It is but the first of many controversies you will discover in the reef hobby.

In summary, plan out what types of organisms you wish to keep and then tailor the system's technology to suit them. Although you may have extensive experience with freshwater fish, I think you will find that keeping a miniature reef aquarium will be a whole new "kettle of fish." (Sorry, I couldn't resist!)