Confused about Light Settings - RB PhotonV2 48"

[AngryOwl]

Hey All,

I'm getting confused about my lighting and would like some input. Please read my specs and I will post some more details below.

Tank Specs Please read so I don't have to repeat myself:
Size - 120g display(48x24x24) 40g sump, total volume estimated 120g
Running for almost a year.
Alk - 9.5
Calc - 470
Mag - 1450
NO3 - 1ppm last tested March 17th
PO4 - .11ppm

Skimmer and home made algae scrubber used for export but honestly the homemade scrubber is underwhelming.

Recently added Miracle mud

To the main point now:
Lighting:
ReefBreeders PhotonV2 - 11 inch off water
(2) Two bulb T5 Fixtures sandwiches the LED with 1 blue+ and 1 true actinic in each. - 15 inch off water

The Problem:
The issue I am having first came about when I purchased a ton of SPS frags from the LFS. They grow their colonies in a 400g display tank under Radions and Metal Halids. Prior to this I had about 10 or so small SPS frags and other LPS corals.

While on a video chat showing off my new beauties it was mentioned to me that they could tell which corals were new simple because they were wayyyy brighter than the others in the tank.... and they were. So this got me thinking... The LFS uses 100% on all lighting.

Around this same time I had a frag fall off the rock work (middle of the tank) and it was fading it color anyways, it had a nice green tip at first which faded out completely. So I let it sit in the sand for a few days before simply standing it up in the front of the tank on the sandbed. It sat there for maybe 2 weeks and the color started completely coming back and polyps out. So... I moved it to the exact spot it was before on the rock work and slowly it starts fading again.

Lastly I had a green monti from the LFS frag pack run and it was completely bleached but now appears to be coming back after lowering my lights.

After I asked the LFS about their settings I slowly increased my lighting from 30% to 50% channels 3,5,6 (see below for those channels on my light). Not long after I lost nearly all of those newly added frags. This was over the course of maybe 3-4 weeks now.

After that loss I lowered my lights again considering the frag that fell had better success on the sand bed. But I'm not seeing that corals coloration come back.

What I find strange about the situation is the coral that fell did amazing on the sandbed in the front of the tank... which would get the majority of the T5 spread...

I'd like to try to mimic Radions AB+ schedule with my photonV2. They show they run 100% intensity and 100% brightness on UV,Blue, RB channels and 24% on White, Red, Green channels.

Can anyone explain the correlation between Intensity and Brightness? To me if I run brightness at 50% on 100% intensity... it is equal to running 100% brightness on 50% intensity.

Since the PhotonV2 is essentially always at 100% intensity that is where my numbers come from. The White, R, G channels are running at 24% relative to the other UV, B, RB channels. They are low because I don't want to blast the corals right away. Par was about 300-350 at the top of the tank(scape) under currently schedule.

Let me know your thoughts. Lighting schedule posted below along with recent Triton ICP test from April 10th 2018(and yes I dosed what I needed to... also took out the marine pure block I had and replaced with pond matrix because the Al readings). The reason the whites ramp up higher is when I get home I like viewing the tank under whites.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I think the aluminum is a concern.
I’ve had crashes where some sps were not effected yet others were.

Personally I don’t buy into the SB ab sched on other lights if you don’t have a spectrometer or are using a color profile from the manufacturer.
Pretty much any color is going to grow coral. At the native 1:1 ratio that Light will grow coral as long as the intensity is correct.

 

[AngryOwl]

I think the aluminum is a concern.
I’ve had crashes where some sps were not effected yet others were.

Personally I don’t buy into the SB ab sched on other lights if you don’t have a spectrometer or are using a color profile from the manufacturer.
Pretty much any color is going to grow coral. At the native 1:1 ratio that Light will grow coral as long as the intensity is correct.

Yup, didnt want that aluminum in there, did a small water change of about 25 gallons as well. Will do more later.

What do you suggest in regards to the lights? Honestly I'd like to switch to radions but not quite ready to purchase. I was considering swapping the LEDs for a cheap 6 bulb T5 fixture in the meantime.

Also... would temperature have this impact? My tank is getting up to 83-84... I have two PC fans on the top of the canopy blowing out... one PC fan is not operating at full speed so I ordered a replacement.

The reason I have them blowing out is I don't want to blow dirty air around in the canopy. I have dogs so their hair is everywhere no matter how much you clean... along with dust.... I was considering placing a fan to blow directly on the sump under the stand... but I'm worried about humidity destroying it....

 

[Fishfinder]

I'm running reef breeders. They were growing SPS, decided to turn them up a bit lol bad idea. Fried every piece that was at the top of my rockwork. Turned the lights back down to 60% corals are recovering

 

[Fishfinder]

Those are strong lights

 

[AngryOwl]

I'm running reef breeders. They were growing SPS, decided to turn them up a bit lol bad idea. Fried every piece that was at the top of my rockwork. Turned the lights back down to 60% corals are recovering

When you say 60% are you referencing certain channels or all channels 60? And yes, no one can deny the power of these lights! I just want the great coloration!!

 

[Fishfinder]

I was running 60% on blue channels, 15% on white, 10% red and green

 

[AngryOwl]

I was running 60% on blue channels, 15% on white, 10% red and green

How is coloration on the corals? Would love to see a pic!

 

[Fishfinder]

Now isn't a good time. hahahaha I just killed it all increasing my intensity. But ill throw up some pics from last week. These lights can color corals up.

 

[Fishfinder]

Sorry for the iPhone pics

 

[Fishfinder]

wow those are grainy... how do you fix that?

 

[AngryOwl]

They came out okay to me

wow those are grainy... how do you fix that?

 

[Fishfinder]

I'm a believer in these lights, but I have to dail in the rest of my issues (low nutrients) to keep good results

 

[AngryOwl]

I'm a believer in these lights, but I have to dail in the rest of my issues (low nutrients) to keep good results

Yea I read good things about them before buying and I want to be a believer as well because I hate wasting money. I'd love to just go get some radions and be done with it, but not quite possible at the moment.

Other option is cheap T5 6 bulb fixture and maybe 1 reefbrite to supplement when it's off. My understanding though is (aside from radions) that T5's will maintain better coloration, while LEDS will get you better growth. The purpose of the AB+ schedule from Radion maximizes both and their results are impressive. So while color is very important to me.... I also don't want a 1 inch frag to take my whole life to grow out.

Anyone have any objections to what I'm saying? Am I off base here?

 

[Fishfinder]

If you get the light intensity from the RB dialed in with your nutrient levels you will be completely happy, trust me. There was a point I could watch my SPS grow. Then something got out of wack and I'm trying to get it back.

The RB and T5 combo will be more than enough to grow anything you want and look good

 

[Fishfinder]

These are 3 month progression pics. Taken nov. 1 and then the end of January

that was with my RB at 50% blue, 15% white. Trust me $2000 worth of radions aren't keeping you from growth

 

[AngryOwl]

If you get the light intensity from the RB dialed in with your nutrient levels you will be completely happy, trust me. There was a point I could watch my SPS grow. Then something got out of wack and I'm trying to get it back.

The RB and T5 combo will be more than enough to grow anything you want and look good

Can't argue with that growth! Very nice! In terms of nutrient levels... what way are you referring to? In terms of Nitrates and Phosphates what were you running when things were going good? And what are they when things are bad?

My understanding was there is a correlation between nutrient level and lighting (as well as alk). So in a high nutrient system you would want higher light and higher alk compared to a low nutrient system. Is this accurate? They argument then comes down to what is high vs what is low.

One quick note I'm note sure if you know of on the RB is that the White LED's are far more powerful than any of the other channels. They put out more Watts. So if you go up drastically on the white channel your par will increase faster than the same increase on another channel. So I'm not sure what you went up to or how fast, but that could have been the problem (possibly).

 

[Fishfinder]

One quick note I'm note sure if you know of on the RB is that the White LED's are far more powerful than any of the other channels. They put out more Watts. So if you go up drastically on the white channel your par will increase faster than the same increase on another channel. So I'm not sure what you went up to or how fast, but that could have been the problem (possibly).

I did not know this and it explains a lot. Thanks for the info. I must have really increased my PAR. When I had that growth nitrate was around 5 and PO4 was around .06

 

[AngryOwl]

I did not know this and it explains a lot. Thanks for the info. I must have really increased my PAR. When I had that growth nitrate was around 5 and PO4 was around .06

No problem, here is the info from their site:

"The Photon V2+ uses 5 watt Cree XT-Es, and 3 watt Cree, Semi, and Osram diodes, bringing the Photon V2+ up to date with the latest in LED technology. There are also 6 dimming channels, so you can have precise control over every color."
Channel 1 Deep Red 4 Osram 3watt 660nm
Channel 2 Green 4 Semi LED 3watt 520nm
Channel 3 Royal Blue 24 Cree XT-E 5watt 450nm
Channel 4 White 20 Cree XP-E 5watt 5500K
Channel 5 Cool Blue 16 Cree XP-E 3watt 480nm
Channel 6 Violet 20 Semi LED 3watt 420nm

The above LED counts are for the 48" fixture and it looks like the blues are just as powerful and there are 4 more of them.

https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/photon-48-v2/

 

[AngryOwl]

Does anyone on this thread have any thoughts about switching up the lighting layout.... in terms of right now the LED is sandwiched between the T5's. What if the T5's were next to each other in the front and LED in the back angled to the front? The overflow boxes in the back create a lighting dead zone for the back T5 fixture.