Custom LEDs

[marine_science_addict]

Hey guys.

I have recently been trying to focus on my tank and bring it back to life. We have coral both stony and soft, tube nem, maxi, 2 tangs, dragonette, and gobby. Our parameters pretty good. We have been testing and dosing every single day for 2 weeks now. I have a 120 Gallon tank with a 40 gallon sump. The total water content is between 70 - 80 gallons. We use custom-made LED lighting purchased second hand which I realize now sucks because I do not know the output of these lights.

ANYWAS!

I have noticed my boom in my GHA population and I know it's from NO and PO, but I know that light helps it grow as well because they are photosynthetic organisms. With that being said, I have been really trying to get focused on my tank and logging and all that. But because my lights are customer AND second hand, I have no idea of the output from these LEDs. Is there a way to find out their output? I want to figure this out so I don't put too much light into my tank.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[HM3105]

Depends, what do you mean by "output"? Can you tell what colors you have? you should be able to look at them (don't stare into them though) and get an idea for the different colors. Are you able to control the colors at all?

Secondly, while light is a component of the GHA problem, you'd be better off working towards knocking down the phosphates. How long are you running the lights? If its for a long period of time you could work on reducing it.

 

[marine_science_addict]

Depends, what do you mean by "output"?

Basically the wattage or however it is measured. The amount of light I am putting into my tank in amount k or whatever.

Can you tell what colors you have? you should be able to look at them (don't stare into them though) and get an idea for the different colors.

The colors and blue and white. Each light (there a re three total) have two strips of blue and two strips of white.

Are you able to control the colors at all?

Yes. I can control each switch (there is four switches per light; 2 for white 2 for blue). What would be a good recommendation?

Secondly, while light is a component of the GHA problem, you'd be better off working towards knocking down the phosphates. How long are you running the lights? If its for a long period of time you could work on reducing it.

We are not running them on any timed schedule. And I wish I had one of those extension chords with a timer on it! I turn them on at about 7am and turn them off anywhere between 8 - 11pm. Should this change? What would be recommended?

 

[HM3105]

Basically the wattage or however it is measured. The amount of light I am putting into my tank in amount k or whatever.



The colors and blue and white. Each light (there a re three total) have two strips of blue and two strips of white.



Yes. I can control each switch (there is four switches per light; 2 for white 2 for blue). What would be a good recommendation?



We are not running them on any timed schedule. And I wish I had one of those extension chords with a timer on it! I turn them on at about 7am and turn them off anywhere between 8 - 11pm. Should this change? What would be recommended?

So typically you would measure the PAR or photosythetically active radiation to figure out how powrlerful the lights are. Pictures of the fixture and the LEDs would help.

You can run the blues and whites to fast but be aware that too much will bleach your corals. Most LEDs are pretty powerful so monitor your corals when adjusting the light. I run mine around 50% blue and 30% white.

Go to Wal Mart or Amazon and order a timer. I wouldn't run the lights more than 8-10 hours personally.

Again pictures would help

 

[marine_science_addict]

Here are some pix

 

[Reefing Madness]

Those are 165w units, running at 120w, no optics. 3wx55. At least thats what it appears to be.

 

[marine_science_addict]

3wx55?

 

[Reefing Madness]

3 watt leds, 55 leds

 

[marine_science_addict]

OK I counted. Here are the results.

Per lighting unit:

The LED strips alternate in color. BWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWB.

9 Blue 8 white.

Each strip has 7 lights.

There are 4 switches. 2 control white 2 control blue.

The 2 white switches turn on 4 white strips each. One blue switch turns on 5. The other blue switch turns on 4.

If they are 3w bulbs, I run 2 blue and 1 white per lighting unit.

Do the blue LEDs have different wattage than the white ones?

If not, I run 273w per housing = 819 watts. Is that correct? Is that too much? What it recommended?

 

[Reefing Madness]

They are not the ones I guessed at.

 

[HM3105]

OK I counted. Here are the results.

Per lighting unit:

The LED strips alternate in color. BWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWB.

9 Blue 8 white.

Each strip has 7 lights.

There are 4 switches. 2 control white 2 control blue.

The 2 white switches turn on 4 white strips each. One blue switch turns on 5. The other blue switch turns on 4.

If they are 3w bulbs, I run 2 blue and 1 white per lighting unit.

Do the blue LEDs have different wattage than the white ones?

If not, I run 273w per housing = 819 watts. Is that correct? Is that too much? What it recommended?

Well without knowing what kind of light it is, I would agree with Reef Madness. It looks like 3w LEDs. If so, they are plenty powerful.

If your coral's aren't bleaching or browning which is caused by too much light and too little light, respectively, then I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Back to your OP, go get three timers (or one but make sure its rated to handle the amount of power those lights are drawing) and knock down the lighting schedule to like 8-10 hours. Then start working to get your Nitrates and Phosphates down. I would start doing 15-20% water changes until the GHA went away then go back to your regular schedule. When you go the water changes, make sure to take a turkey baster or powerhead to the live rock to get the crud out of the crevices. If you're not running GFO, start that too. It may take some time but eventually you'll get it under control.