[bugaboo]

I am getting ready to start up my first tank LR fish only I am wanting to add some easy corals and bubble tip anenome at some time. Do I need a MH to do this and what's the advantage of having a MH over the Floresents. have 50 gal tank. Trying to keep the budget in reason but if MH needed then it is hat it is.

[Six-line Wrasse]

Over a 50 gal. the two main advantages of MH versus CF is: intensity and depth of penetration. MH are more intense lighting and penetrate deeper into your water providing more light for your tank overall. CF lighting over a tank that size would mainly be used to keep some low-light LPS, zoanthids, mushrooms and the like.

[glampka]

Since you want to keep an anemone you'll want MH or T-5. If you're getting T-5 be sure to buy the one with the individual reflectors rather than the one with the big reflector.

[dfurbee]

I have CF and have an anemone, and soft corals, in a 55gal

[NATIVEVAMAN]

I think cf lighting is on the way out with the acception of small tanks and refugiums and maybe even corner tanks where short lights are needed.They produce far to much heat for the amount of light they give off and have a very short bulb life compared to t 5's.If you need lights 24 inchs or larger you should consider t 5 but only t 5's with single bulb reflectors.

[Six-line Wrasse]

Bubble tip anemones typically can survive under CF as long as the tank isn't exceptionally deep. Also, because of the poor lighting you may want to supplement its photosynthetic diet with some meaty foods. Mysis shrimp is typically the most likely candidate for supplemental feedings.

[Sikkob]

I saw an anenome being kept with normal t5 coralife lights this afternoon and it was alive. There was also alot of bad anenomes in the tank as well.