AP700 not doing well with SPS?

[Saisori]

Been using the AP700 for about a year. Only recently been trying to get SPS to start up.
LPS are growing like crazy, specifically acans. Torches and look beautiful, but the sps... they just are not growing or encrusting. Two frags have turned brown and have polyp extension.

Tank parameters.
1.025 Sal
8.2 Alk
430 Calc
.009 Phos
20 PPM Nitrate.


Tank 48x24x20
Running a single ap700 10inch off water. (major diffuser)

Schedule : 10hours Total. 3hours at 42% highest.

Anyone having success with just AP700 for SPS? What are you all schedule? Acclimatization process?

 

[Reeferdood]

I did not care for my AP's either, I am having a much better time with the Radions.

 

[BoomCorals]

A single ap700 is going to struggle lighting a 48x24x20 tank for sps. Same goes for a single radion or any other LED.

 

[Saisori]

A single ap700 is going to struggle lighting a 48x24x20 tank for sps. Same goes for a single radion or any other LED.

Interesting, I'll keep that in mind.

 

[jda]

Ap700 is not enough light for that tank. I know that the LED manufacturers lie and over exaggerate their coverage, but like Boom said, not even a single Hydra 52 or Radion XR30 could light that size. You need at least one more ap700 (4x 360 equivalent), but even then most people end up with T5s to fill in the spectrum and shadowing gaps.

You do not see a ton of mature SPS tanks being lit by Kessil alone, even with one unit every foot. There are all kinds of "best ever" threads from people with frags that have not even encrusted the frag plug yet, but they lack updates or have since went to AquaticLife (or the like) and added some T5s.

Off the topic of lighting: those params look like you might have a newer tank. I would not let the nitrate get too much higher than 20-25... it will limit calcification and can brown corals all on it's own. 5-10 is better place to be if you are into having nitrate. I know that the test kits are hard to read with a large margin for error - do not sweat this for now, just watch that it does not get too much higher. If your tank matures, then it will get lower as anoxic areas start to develop in the rocks and sand.

 

[andrewkw]

You're also running the light at only 42%. I don't use the 700 but before you run out and buy another one (which you may need regardless) start by upping what you already have slowly and see if there is any change.

 

[jda]

Check out Crab's recent thread. He used ap700 alone, then added some T5s. Stuff got better. He then realized that the T5s were what made the difference and then has since moved on to even better SPS lighting. This is a pretty normal progression for most who get hard-core into SPS. His post #9 might help you out a bit... and he is super helpful at answering questions.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/metal-halide-t5-hybrid-users-thread.424257/

 

[Saisori]

Check out Crab's recent thread. He used ap700 alone, then added some T5s. Stuff got better. He then realized that the T5s were what made the difference and then has since moved on to even better SPS lighting. This is a pretty normal progression for most who get hard-core into SPS. His post #9 might help you out a bit... and he is super helpful at answering questions.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/metal-halide-t5-hybrid-users-thread.424257/

I'm already invested in the ap700. I would like to see if it works out or if other had better results.

 

[Makers Marc]

I'm already invested in the ap700. I would like to see if it works out or if other had better results.

I would give yourself more time with it and raise it to at least 75%. Then get your nutrients in shape.

 

[drtrash]

Yep, raise intensity, lot of power under that hood, run 50% and 2-t5's with lps