400+ PAR

[Dono]

Hey All!

My Concern: I just tested my PAR for the first time EVER (Thanks BRS for giving me more problems ha!), and I've found that I might actually be nuking my corals. 360-450 PAR in my upper 1/3rd of my tank and 220-240 PAR on my sand bed.

My Scenario: It's primarily SPS, and MOST corals are doing well, but due to aquascaping issues the mid part of my tank and very little of the bottom of my tank is inaccessible for placement of my sticks. This leaves the highly lit "top shelf" for my corals. I'm using 3x Hyrdra 26 and 4x T5HO (1x Blue+/1x Coral+ & 1x Actinic/1x Blue+ set from front to back). Currently set on 8a-8p ramp with peak from 11a-4p for LED. Actinic TE is 9a-7p, and Coral+ is 10a-5p. Here is peak spectrum for AI Hyrdra 26:

UV: 110%
Violet: 110%
Royal: 60%
Blue: 60%
Green: 4%
Red: 4%
Cool White: 15%

Question: What can I do to reduce PAR/intensity without sacrificing spectrum/color? The tank looks BEAUTIFUL right now, but I realize the corals could benefit from less intense light. Any suggestions to tweaking my lighting is welcomed. I have zero algae issues.

Tank Size: Redsea 425XL (90gal)
Flow: 4x MP40 (2x front 15-35% Reefcrest 24/7) (2x Back varying NTM, RC, TSM 30-60%)
Currently sitting at 8ppm NO3 and between 0.04-0.00 PO4 (Redsea NO3 and Hannah PO4).
Calc: 430-450 (Salifert)
Alk: 8.2-9.3 (Hannah) Trying to get the swing a bit less dramatic but battling pH issues that make 2-part difficult)
Mg: 1275-1325

 

[Velcro]

Unless you see bleaching I wouldn’t touch it.

 

[DarkSky]

If your corals are looking great, don't change a thing.

 

[Dono]

AHH! Sorry, I thought I typed the clarification out in my question and obviously overlooked it before posting.

Question: What can I do to reduce PAR/intensity without sacrificing spectrum/color? The tank looks BEAUTIFUL right now, but I realize the corals could benefit from less intense light and I've seen about 20% of the the corals lose color or experience STN. Any suggestions to tweaking my lighting is welcomed. I have zero algae issues.

There we go.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I don’t think 350-450 is too much. What are your other parameters? Light program?

 

[Dono]

I don’t think 350-450 is too much. What are your other parameters? Light program?

Both of those are listed above. Is there something specific that would help you determine a solution?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Photo period? Ramp and peak times? What is your nutrient export? I had stn issues and thought it was my lighting but turns out it was from chasing low nutrients by using gfo and carbon dosing. Also your alk is too high for 0.00 phosphates.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Photo period? Ramp and peak times? What is your nutrient export? I had stn issues and thought it was my lighting but turns out it was from chasing low nutrients by using gfo and carbon dosing. Also your alk is too high for 0.00 phosphates.

How high off the water are your hydras?

 

[Dono]

Photo period? Ramp and peak times? What is your nutrient export? I had stn issues and thought it was my lighting but turns out it was from chasing low nutrients by using gfo and carbon dosing. Also your alk is too high for 0.00 phosphates.

-8a-8p photoperiod.
-3hour ramp up to 11a, Peak until 4p, then ramp down to 8p.
-T5: Actinic/Blue+ is 9a-7p, Coral+/Blue+ is 10a-5p.
-Lights are 12" off water.
-Nutrient Export: Reef Octopus 202-S, HUGE ball of chaeto (slowed growth recently), Carbon in a media bag, Filter Floss changed every 2-3 days, and Vodka, though I'm only at 1.5ml/day (very heavy feeding regimen). Bi-Weekly 25-30gal water changes.

The only thing I chase (and I try not to) is pH. I have a condo in South Florida and struggle with it being ultra sealed (hurricane windows). Without CO2 scrubbing media I sit around 7.6-7.7 pH. As long as I'm good with Media, I'm at 8.1-7.85. I also doubt I'm at 0.00 PO4, though I'm probably starved for it with my macro algae and corals. I actually just made my first minor dose of Neophos to help correct the imbalance -- we'll see if that improves things.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

-8a-8p photoperiod.
-3hour ramp up to 11a, Peak until 4p, then ramp down to 8p.
-T5: Actinic/Blue+ is 9a-7p, Coral+/Blue+ is 10a-5p.
-Lights are 12" off water.
-Nutrient Export: Reef Octopus 202-S, HUGE ball of chaeto (slowed growth recently), Carbon in a media bag, Filter Floss changed every 2-3 days, and Vodka, though I'm only at 1.5ml/day (very heavy feeding regimen). Bi-Weekly 25-30gal water changes.

The only thing I chase (and I try not to) is pH. I have a condo in South Florida and struggle with it being ultra sealed (hurricane windows). Without CO2 scrubbing media I sit around 7.6-7.7 pH. As long as I'm good with Media, I'm at 8.1-7.85. I also doubt I'm at 0.00 PO4, though I'm probably starved for it with my macro algae and corals. I actually just made my first minor dose of Neophos to help correct the imbalance -- we'll see if that improves things.

I don’t ever check my ph. I have 2 hydra 52’s HD’s 16” above the water. My stn issues stopped as soon as I raised my lights and stopped carbon dosing.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I think your fine and shouldn’t touch it.
If it ain’t broke

 

[Saveafish]

Vilot and UV can cook a coral faster than high pars

 

[Ocelaris]

I have the exact same issue, I just got my par meter rental from brs and I'm at around 650 at the top in some places,and almost 400 at the bottom center. I raised my lights a few inches, but I'm height limited, so I may pull 2xt5 bulbs out. It's really am eye opener the par readings. I would have never guessed how much light was getting in the tank.

 

[jda]

Agree. I have more PAR than that (MH) over almost my whole tank and everything thrives and grows well.

 

[RamsReef]

DONT TOUCH IT

 

[JDtimk]

I would think your lights are not the issue with STN. The route I would take in your situation would be to raise nutrients by stopping carbon dosing and remove a portion of the chaeto and manage it ongoing, reduce the skimming period, and pull out the activated carbon. Temporarily pull back your "very heavy feeding" by 25% and see what the nutrient levels do after a week. Then increase feeding again until you reach the nutrient targets you are looking to maintain.

 

[T-5unsystem]

Have you considered an ICP-OES test to see if you can find the problem?

 

[Try'nNotToKillStuff]

Have you considered an ICP-OES test to see if you can find the problem?

what is an "icp-oes" test?

 

[T-5unsystem]

what is an "icp-oes" test?

Give this a read: https://www.atinorthamerica.com/what-is-icp-oes/

Basically its high accuracy scientific testing of your water.