[cbeatty]

Just upgraded from a jerry rigged 30 watt fluorescent tube set up to an 80 watt CF bad boy for my 10 gal nano. While the new set up looks great and some corals are benefitting, I'm having a sever algae and diaton problem on my sand. As well, some mushrooms are not doing as well as others (kinda hard to move them farther from the light in a 10 gal tank) and most importantly what was once rampant coralline algae growth (almost to nuisance levels) is now the opposite. Not that the coralline algae is dying, just not growing and bleaching slightly near the top of the tank. I have daylights on for 8 hours a day and the actinics for 10 hours a day. Is there such a thing as too strong of lighting?

Strange that there seems to be a give and take on upgrading lighting when the philosophy is the more the better. Any inputs? Thanks.

[Phayes]

There is such thing as too much lighting.

In respects to your lack of corraline algae growth problem, it is often common when introducing such lighting fixtures such as MH's and such to actually decrease the corraline algae growth. Every type of algae/coral/plant/etc has specific lighting requirements... there is always such thing as too much or too little for every specific organism, big or small. It's important to understand your reef's inhabitants' requirements prior to upgrading or changing any lighting system; or any other variable in a salt water aquarium for that matter.

[bnhaus]

Absolutely,

A good GENERAL frame of reference in deciding how much lighting you will need for your inhabitants is a wattage-per-gallon ratio of approximately 3-5 watts per gallon, for the lower light corals and the more light-loving corals require between 5 to 8 watts per gallon*.

Please keep in mind, these numbers are purely a general starting point.