AI Vega Settings and Intensities?

[screefer]

Some quick iphone pics. I can get my dslr out and you'll really get the idea.

 

[mcarroll]

Grab a $15 lux meter off of ebayMazon or download a free one to your smart phone (uses the camera) - I'm curious what maximum readings you get just at/above the water line.

-Matt

 

[screefer]

A few more. They look better than this in person, like I said I'm working with an iPhone

 

[screefer]

Grab a $15 lux meter off of ebayMazon or download a free one to your smart phone (uses the camera) - I'm curious what maximum readings you get just at/above the water line.


-Matt

To make sure I attempt this correctly, should I hold the phone so that the camera is angled toward the back of the tank parallel to the lights and water line? If not, where should I point it. I will try the one on my phone just because it is fast and convenient. This is assuming you were replying to me with your post.

 

[mcarroll]

Yes, but results from anyone else would be nice too!

I usually just hold the camera/sensor pointing straight up (the unit is parallel with the water) and just try to find the peak lux.

Interestingly, you can use the shadow your phone throws to know which coral(s) you are taking the measurement for, if you want that info.

-Matt

 

[whixley101]

Great Feedback!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep it coming!!

 

[Westicktogether]

I was wondering about intensity levels. Mine are about 40-50% across the board. Our colors are good but we haven't seem to have much growth. I was nervous to play around with them in fear of hurting our corals. We mainly have Lps and some neon green polyps. Any help would be great

 

[chemisfun11]

I have my lights 8" AWL. I have messed with my settings quite a bit since getting these lights, but I feel comfortable with my settings now. I have them on a 40% reduction from September to the end of December. Unlike when I started the tank in June, I am starting corals low and slowly raising them higher. Some have held excellent color, others have a "washed out look" and appear just purple overall. I think this is due to too much light. I lost one coral so far (a purple slimer frag). It was very dark in color, put it up too high, started to loose tissue and moved it low but it was too late.

I'm getting good growth, every coral is plating down (I'm mostly an SPS guy, but I do have a few zoas, palys and LPS) so only concern is color. I had similar issues with MH after running them for 8 years, but this is a new tank, and I'm being somewhat religious with my water parameters this time around.

I think everyone has to learn their tank with regard to flow, light, maintenance, etc. What looks good to one person may not to another. Keep the feedback coming, there is no magic equation for success besides stability. I've learned that good things in a reef take time, and only bad things happen fast

 

[Westicktogether]

We are new to this hobby and from everything I have read and everyone I have talked to said the same thing about water changes. We are pretty consistent with 20% every other week. We have a lot of Lps the one sps we had started growing very quickly and fizzled out. All our parameters were good but all we could figure was that we were new and just didn't know enough yet. Our light is about 10-12 inches from the water level. All our coral look good and are holding their colors but we don't seem to have the growth from them. They are not dying but not quickly growing either.

 

[TopShoTTa]

I have a 60 cube which is mostly SPS. I've been struggling to get my SPS to color up. I picked up a handful of nice frags from Jason Fox when he had his 12 hour sale. They all came in beautiful, but now have lost almost all their color. I've been struggling to find the right percentages. Initially I believe I had way too much white - up around 60%. I've since turned that down to 15%. A few of my SPS got burned out. My red/green are both at 35% and my blues are at 65%. It's been like this for about 3 weeks now and still no turn around in color. Water parameters are good. I test Alk, Ca, NO3 and P04 weekly. Ca is around 420ppm (Red Sea Pro), N03 is generally undetectable (Red Sea Pro), P04 is around .04ppm last test (Hanna Checker).

 

[Sprink669]

I have the 2 sol blues over my 60 cube mixed tank lights are 12" over the waterline. Whites 40% and Blues 55% with great color and growth. I know I don't have the extra colors but I have bumped the whites down from 50% to 40% and my corals have never looked better. I really like the AI sol's and have not seen the Vegas in person but look sweet!

 

[whixley101]

Bump for a slow Sunday Night

 

[SunCorals]

I have the 2 sol blues over my 60 cube mixed tank lights are 12" over the waterline. Whites 40% and Blues 55% with great color and growth. I know I don't have the extra colors but I have bumped the whites down from 50% to 40% and my corals have never looked better. I really like the AI sol's and have not seen the Vegas in person but look sweet!

I have my two blue sols on the same tank 14" awl and white at 25 b 50 rb 50 how long it take you to get to 40%. Soon I start to bump mine up my wellsos start to fade and loose their reds.

 

[whixley101]

Not to be rude but let's keep this thread to the Vega please.

 

[SunCorals]

My appoligies I will take it to a pm.

 

[3Twinklets]

My Vega's are set:
Whites 30%
All blues 100%
Green 30%
Red 30%
On at 7:30 AM
3 hour ramp
Off 7P
Blue 2% night.

 

[Westicktogether]

Do you totally shut off your lights or just to 3% for the night

 

[jedidad]

AI recommends running vegas from 4" to 6" off the water line. I notice alot of people going higher than that. Have people been having problems with running them at the recommended heighth?

 

[whixley101]

I run mine 8-10 inches above the water because that is what my hood allows.

 

[mcarroll]

AI recommends running vegas from 4" to 6" off the water line. I notice alot of people going higher than that. Have people been having problems with running them at the recommended heighth?

I run mine 8-10 inches above the water because that is what my hood allows.

In theory, or ideally, the height you run them should be dictated by the spread you need to cover the tank - no sense to spend money lighting up the room and the dimmers let you correct the intensity as needed. A simple (and possibly free) lux meter can help a lot with this.

Of course there are practical considerations, like canopies, to work around in most situations.

-Matt