ATI bulb configuration and questions

Reefpro · Mar 9, 2014

ATI sun power questions
So I recently switched over from LEDS to two ATI 6 bulb fixtures my tank is 5x3x2. I also have two Jessie 150 to give some shimmer. I will have to look at bulb combo to give you all the specs on that tomorrow. What I am noticing is some of my corals are. Looking "washed" out. Some look like tips are bleaching. I have the fixture 9 " off the water but started at 14" and may have moved it down too fast. My par is 460 on top of water and 225 on sand bed.

My water param are as follow
Salinity 1.025
Alk 8.7
Ca 470
Mg 1410
PO4. .05
Nitrates .2

Temp starts out at around 77 and by end of day it is 79-80

The kessils come on at 10 off at 10pm
2 blue bulbs on each fixture come on at 12 off at 9
The other 10 come on at 1 off at 8

These lights been on here for about 1 month and bulbs were 4 months old when I got fixture. Does it take the corals awhile to acclimate to new light? Is this light more intense than LEDS when par was roughly the same? The white tips on a vouple corals and are lower down.....what is going on? Any general thoughts are appreciated.

wuuzzzuuppp · Mar 9, 2014

I asked Lue at Bulk Reef Supply and told him I have a bubble tip anemone. This is what he recommended.......... "Myself I like to be in the 14-18k range so it's typically a little bluer but not too blue. For me I would do 4 ATi coral plus and 2 ATi blue plus. This will give you a nice blue spectrum and helps the anemone's colors pop. Bulbs are one of the hardest thing to configure as everyone does have their own taste. You can use that as a base and change up the bulbs to your liking"

I ended up doing 3 and 3 because my light can only be controlled in halves. 3 and 3. I must say I love them so far! Looks very nice! My anemones and corals seem to be loving them so far too.

Reefpro · Mar 9, 2014

My tank is a heavily dominated SPS tank and corals appreciate showing signs of stress.. Could be from change in lighting and spectrum being so different.