AB+ confusion

[Fishbro]

I just got a Radion g4 xr-15 pro and am a little confused. I’m running the softie/LPS version of AB+ and when I check the watts the light is only running at 18. Tank is a Biocube 32 with only softies and LPS. I started it at 30% as recommended but isn’t that too little? This is what my schedule looks like but something seems odd.

 

[Spieg]

I think the XR15 is a max of 70-75 watts isn't it? Softies don't need a lot of light so this sounds about right to me (remember that light can be a death ray to softies in a small tank at full power)

 

[Fishbro]

I think that is the max watts yes. My Biocube stock LED’s are 30 watts I think so wouldn’t 18 be a little low or should I just slowly increase the percent every few days?

 

[Zeal]

Do you like how AB+ looks? I have the same light and absolutely hate AB+.

 

[Spieg]

Not sure what your motivation is here. Are you unhappy with the amount of light you are seeing? Are your corals not doing well? Wattage doesn't really come into the conversion, it's PAR that is important... I'd recommend you provide the amount of light (PAR) that your soft corals like (which it probably pretty close the the 30% setting that your Radion recommends for soft coral). You can gradually increase the light and see how the tank responds, but be careful, if you crank it up too high it'll probably kill all your soft corals. If you want a brighter tank, I'd suggest you go with a SPS dominant tank (that's what the higher power settings on your Radion are designed for). But be prepared, soft corals are easy, and SPS can be much more demanding to keep healthy.

 

[Fishbro]

Yeah I’m not happy with the colors or the spectrum of the Biocube lights my corals are growing but the colors look faded. I know par is the most important that’s why my the percent I have the Radion at is 30% I was just wondering if that’s too low. And yes I’m not going to keep SPS I know they are MUCH harder but I’m getting into LPS more and they are a bit more light hungry than the Biocube lights allow in my opinion and I overall hate the Biocube lid and annoying white spectrum.