Expanding on Coral Labs ab+ safely

[Piker]

Hello!

So the default coral labs schedule for ab+ is 8 hours. This is a 1 hour ramp up, 1 hour ramp down with 6 at max intensity. I'd like to have light on longer and often hear of people running ab+ longer... I'm wondering how you folks with awesome tanks do it. My tank is SPS dominant.

I've stretched it to 9 hours via the sliders, which just makes the peak intensity 7 hours vs the 6. I'm wondering if it'd be safer to go in manually and extend the ramp on either end by half an hour.

Is there a recommendation on how to expand these?

FWIW I also run T5's at peak for the 7 hours.

 

[MnFish1]

I used this pattern - and slowly ramped it up to 10 hours full intensity - (and I did it manually). On the other hand - I did not have T5's. Have you happened to measure your PAR?

 

[Piker]

Yes, I have the apogee mq210 at peak lighting with T5 and all 4 LEDs right now I think 330 or so is the highest par you'll find on my rock, ill probably slowly up it to 350 but I'm recovering from some algae issues.

So when you upped to a 10 hour did you keep the 1 hour ramp up, 1 hour ramp down and 8 hour peak? How's it been going for you?

 

[MnFish1]

Yes, I have the apogee mq210 at peak lighting with T5 and all 4 LEDs right now I think 330 or so is the highest par you'll find on my rock, ill probably slowly up it to 350 but I'm recovering from some algae issues.

So when you upped to a 10 hour did you keep the 1 hour ramp up, 1 hour ramp down and 8 hour peak? How's it been going for you?

Yes - I assumed - that since in the tropics - the sun is out 12 or so hours a day - a longer period is more natural. I did change I don't remember your percent intensity at the highest (i.e. is it 50% or 100%. but I have my peak intensity at 100 percent for 2 hours) - then it steps down to 80% for an hour then 70 percent for 2 hours etc etc to sort of mimic 'the sun'. But for example - I would probably not run at 100% for 7 hours. Hopefully this makes sense.

 

[Piker]

Yes - I assumed - that since in the tropics - the sun is out 12 or so hours a day - a longer period is more natural. I did change I don't remember your percent intensity at the highest (i.e. is it 50% or 100%. but I have my peak intensity at 100 percent for 2 hours) - then it steps down to 80% for an hour then 70 percent for 2 hours etc etc to sort of mimic 'the sun'. But for example - I would probably not run at 100% for 7 hours. Hopefully this makes sense.

Sure, makes sense. Right now I am at 40% full intensity (which is 330 par) for 7 hours. Then the ramp up and down of one hour for a 9 hour total. Reading the coral labs handbook this is exactly what is the ab+ schedule is "officially".

I think I'm going to see how my acro does with this and follow suit with you... probably stretching the peak but lowering intensity.

I'm kind of wishing I'd just got the LED and skipped the t5. The fill is nice but it's another element to wonder if I'm getting "right".

 

[oreo54]

Yes - I assumed - that since in the tropics - the sun is out 12 or so hours a day - a longer period is more natural. I did change I don't remember your percent intensity at the highest (i.e. is it 50% or 100%. but I have my peak intensity at 100 percent for 2 hours) - then it steps down to 80% for an hour then 70 percent for 2 hours etc etc to sort of mimic 'the sun'. But for example - I would probably not run at 100% for 7 hours. Hopefully this makes sense.

O/T but thought it would interest some to see what "nature" does.

Spectral Data from a Shallow Hawaiian Tidepool

Dana Riddle previously documented and discussed light intensity of a Hawaiian tidepool versus the home aquarium. Dana continues his light analysis by examining spectral data. What can nature teach us about coral care?

reefs.com

Keep in mind 2" underwater is different than 24" underwater..

 

[Hooz]

It gets pretty confusing, and a lot of things work for different people. For instance, WWC uses AB+ 12 hours on, 12 hours off with short (20 minute) ramps in the morning and evening. They also only run the white/red/green channels (in addition to the blues) for a 4 hour period, the rest is blues only.

I kind of modeled my schedule on the WWC style. I do 12 hours of blues with 4 hours of whites added in in the middle of the day. I actually have mine setup with a 14 hour "lights on" cycle, but I use longer ramps in the morning and evening, so my peak time stays shorter, within that 12 hour window.

I also run a little lower PAR than typical since my overall photoperiod is longer.

I guess the moral of the story is... Just do what works for you and your tank.

 

[Piker]

Oreo, thanks for the data! I'm not brave enough to try to emulate the natural 12 hour light cycle but it's all laid out right there. Maybe some day when I've kept more than 3 alive for a few years lol.

 

[Piker]

It gets pretty confusing, and a lot of things work for different people. For instance, WWC uses AB+ 12 hours on, 12 hours off with short (20 minute) ramps in the morning and evening. They also only run the white/red/green channels (in addition to the blues) for a 4 hour period, the rest is blues only.

I kind of modeled my schedule on the WWC style. I do 12 hours of blues with 4 hours of whites added in in the middle of the day. I actually have mine setup with a 14 hour "lights on" cycle, but I use longer ramps in the morning and evening, so my peak time stays shorter, within that 12 hour window.

I also run a little lower PAR than typical since my overall photoperiod is longer.

I guess the moral of the story is... Just do what works for you and your tank.

I was actually just using the WWC template. My alk consumption was awesome! Unfortunately my par was higher than my corals could take and got lighter... and when I didn't act fast enough started to STN.

I'm still hoping the STN will end for some. I decided to go back to basics and start low, not touching it for 3 months, I've made a promise.

I'm fairly certain that I could have avoided issues if I'd lowered my intensity when my oregon tort started to lighten up early on it could all have been fine.

 

[MnFish1]

O/T but thought it would interest some to see what "nature" does.

Spectral Data from a Shallow Hawaiian Tidepool

Dana Riddle previously documented and discussed light intensity of a Hawaiian tidepool versus the home aquarium. Dana continues his light analysis by examining spectral data. What can nature teach us about coral care?

reefs.com

Keep in mind 2" underwater is different than 24" underwater..

I believe this is why I changed to a 12 hour period (this article). Thanks