Cooked Coral Anyone?

[DraggingTail]

I upgraded my light a while back thinking I needed more power. I went from a single 400W MH to a double with T5s.

My coral have been losing color. My parameters are stable and the color was good before just poor growth. (I now believe to low nitrates to be the growth issue)

For the light I decided to rent a par meter and I was surprised at this.

What is a good range for acros?

 

[thewalkingdad]

About 1/3 to 1/2 of what you're at right now would be pretty solid.

 

[NanoDJS]

I grow mine in 300 - 450 ish

 

[DraggingTail]

Raising the light does very little. I suppose I have to snap these off and move them.

 

[NanoDJS]

we used to put diffuser panels under the 400w badboys , what bulbs you running ? they are hqi ? you went from 1 400w to 2 400w or 1 400w to 2 250w ?

 

[Roosterjack]

Your evaporation rate had to be crazy too.

 

[DraggingTail]

we used to put diffuser panels under the 400w badboys , what bulbs you running ? they are hqi ? you went from 1 400w to 2 400w or 1 400w to 2 250w ?

2 400w MH 20k
2 39w T5 460nm
2 39w T5 420nm

 

[DraggingTail]

Your evaporation rate had to be crazy too.

10 g a week

 

[NanoDJS]

thats alot of light

 

[DraggingTail]

I was not even aware until I rented the par meter

 

[spscrackhead]

What is your photo period? Could turn one bulb on for a few hours and then off and then the same for other bulb. Of course while you are at work.

 

[DraggingTail]

What is your photo period? Could turn one bulb on for a few hours and then off and then the same for other bulb. Of course while you are at work.

8am - 8pm 420, 9am - 7pm 460, 10am - 4pm MH,

 

[DraggingTail]

I'm just going to get the wire cutters and frag and move. About 10" down I get 550ish

 

[NanoDJS]

your using radiums ?

 

[NanoDJS]

they will grow HUGE , and acclimate themselves as they get higher into that par , I agree with moving the growout it will most likely look very awesome , it was not uncommon to bust 1000 at the water line with that setup. I ran my 400w unit 24" off tha water look at where most big farm growouts mount their lights also.

 

[DraggingTail]

your using radiums ?

Hamilton Lightning

 

[DEWreefing]

Bump up your nutrients a bit what alk range are you at now?

 

[DraggingTail]

Bump up your nutrients a bit what alk range are you at now?

12

 

[DraggingTail]

My Nitrates are at .75 unless I dump a tablespoon of reef roids a day I can get to 4 but they drop fast

 

[DEWreefing]

Having that high of alk and low nutrients I'm surprised you have not burnt the tips on your arco. 6" below my water line I have 680 par your corals will pale out but they will adjust. Do you dose aminos?