Ideal Settings for ViparSpectra 165w?

[JIsBusyReefing]

Hi all! I'll make this quick. I do not have access to or finances for a PAR meter. I have a 150g tall (4' x 2' x 31") mixed reef. I have three ViparSpectra 165w units with the lenses removed and mounted perpendicular in the canopy about 8" above the water. I also have one of those Fluval Marine LED 3.0 strips (59w) that I use for color.

What would be the ideal intensity settings to be running?

 

[Peace River]

If you do a search here on R2R for viparspectra 165w you will find threads listing setting for these lights. One approach is to start at 30/3 and then work your way up based on the respond of the corals. Good luck!

 

[JIsBusyReefing]

If you do a search here on R2R for viparspectra 165w you will find threads listing setting for these lights. One approach is to start at 30/3 and then work your way up based on the respond of the corals. Good luck!

yep. I've searched high and low. I just can't find anyone with the same setup I've got. I started at the 30/3 setting and made it all the way to 50/5. But then I got a Ritteri and the thing kept climbing to the top of the tank on the back glass, so I cranked it up pretty quickly and things have gone to hell looking stressed for the past 3 weeks.

 

[Peace River]

I can understand how a 150 tall would be a challenge. Let's see if we can get some additional help...

@Jay Hemdal @Dana Riddle #reefsquad

 

[Dana Riddle]

I don't have any experience with your lights, so any comments would be of little value. With that said - ahem - I tend to think you're over illuminating.

 

[JIsBusyReefing]

I don't have any experience with your lights, so any comments would be of little value. With that said - ahem - I tend to think you're over illuminating.

Well, there are more variables at play as to why the corals look stressed besides lighting. They were perfectly fine and thriving up until the beginning of October. I added a Ritteri for my maroons but they wouldn't go for it, so I added a BTA, which they love.The Ritteri kept climbing to the top so I cranked it up to 60%, then 70%, etc. every day til I hit 100% blues. Made no difference, so I went back down to 50% and moved the Ritteri by hand. It still moves up no matter what I do. While this was going on, I started dosing carbonate instead of bicarbonate for Alk and pH. I also noticed my cartridges on my RO system went bad awhile ago and needed to be replaced.

After this stuff is when things looked rough. I've put everything back to where it was but stuff looks like crap still. So I'm just trying to figure it all out.

 

[GoVols]

Well, there are more variables at play as to why the corals look stressed besides lighting. They were perfectly fine and thriving up until the beginning of October. I added a Ritteri for my maroons but they wouldn't go for it, so I added a BTA, which they love.The Ritteri kept climbing to the top so I cranked it up to 60%, then 70%, etc. every day til I hit 100% blues. Made no difference, so I went back down to 50% and moved the Ritteri by hand. It still moves up no matter what I do. While this was going on, I started dosing carbonate instead of bicarbonate for Alk and pH. I also noticed my cartridges on my RO system went bad awhile ago and needed to be replaced.

After this stuff is when things looked rough. I've put everything back to where it was but stuff looks like crap still. So I'm just trying to figure it all out.

Joe,
When a ritteri anemone comes to mind, it triggers me to a strong single light point source like a metal halide fixture and they are also known to roam. Not to mention their high-end water parameters. I'd personally take it back to your LFS.

Anyways...
Option-1)
Layout down the refundable deposit and rent the BRS led Par meter.

Wet Tested MQ-510 Full Spectrum Underwater LED PAR Meter Kit - Apogee

Purchase a Wet Tested Apogee MQ-510 PAR Meter Kit and return it for a refund within 60 days1, EVEN IF YOU HAVE USED IT!Kit include PAR Meter, Sensor Wand, and Carry Case! Measure your lights PAR with Apogee's MQ-510 PAR Meter Kit. When you are done, return the meter back to us within 60 days...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Opition-2)
Join a good reef club in your area that has an led par meter. You will be able to access helpful members and over time that reef club will loan you their led par meter.

Be sure to go with an led par meter.

From talking with Apogee if you use a regular par meter with leds, it can be off by up to 20% in the blue led color spectrums.

Good luck!

 

[JIsBusyReefing]

Joe,
When a ritteri anemone comes to mind, it triggers me to a strong single light point source like a metal halide fixture and they are also known to roam. Not to mention their high-end water parameters. I'd personally take it back to your LFS.

Anyways...
Option-1)
Layout down the refundable deposit and rent the BRS led Par meter.

Wet Tested MQ-510 Full Spectrum Underwater LED PAR Meter Kit - Apogee

Purchase a Wet Tested Apogee MQ-510 PAR Meter Kit and return it for a refund within 60 days1, EVEN IF YOU HAVE USED IT!Kit include PAR Meter, Sensor Wand, and Carry Case! Measure your lights PAR with Apogee's MQ-510 PAR Meter Kit. When you are done, return the meter back to us within 60 days...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Opition-2)
Join a good reef club in your area that has an led par meter. You will be able to access helpful members and over time that reef club will loan you their led par meter.

Be sure to go with an led par meter.

From talking with Apogee if you use a regular par meter with leds, it can be off by up to 20% in the blue led color spectrums.

Good luck!

Thanks! I'll check it out.

 

[John08007]

Believe this is pretty much the same as any Chinese black box fixture, it may just have a few different leds in it. And it may have a digital timer as opposed to knows.

 

[fishguy242]

@alimac122 @Susan Edwards

 

[LRT]

I'd definetely check local clubs here on r2r if any. Mine happens to loan them out free of charge.
If I remember correctly these lights are capable of putting out 1000par. I would definitely get a par meter and dial it in.
Also check out brs investigates on YouTube they may have done a review on you lamp just not sure.
I used there reccomended settings for softies on my particular lamp and I have to say they couldn't have gotten much better.

 

[JIsBusyReefing]

I'd definetely check local clubs here on r2r if any. Mine happens to loan them out free of charge.
If I remember correctly these lights are capable of putting out 1000par. I would definitely get a par meter and dial it in.
Also check out brs investigates on YouTube they may have done a review on you lamp just not sure.
I used there reccomended settings for softies on my particular lamp and I have to say they couldn't have gotten much better.

Yep. They reviewed my specific unit a month or two ago. The unit they ran pumped out 1100 PAR at 100% settings. They recommended mounting it 18" above water at 100% blues and 30% whites. But mine are mounted 8" above water and have the lenses removed, which cuts the PAR down by ~25%. It also spreads light much farther/better though. I would assume, with the settings I'm running (50% blues, 5% whites) that my PAR is around 300-400.

 

[George81]

I have a 60” 120 I think its 26”-28” deep. I run three of these mounted parallel to The front of the tank. 9” above water level.
I have my two outer lights at 69 blue and 17 white, the middle because it sits over a glass brace I have the blue turned up to 100. I don’t remember the white. I’ll check tomorrow evening.
im getting upwards Of 425ish par about 8” below the water. I don’t recall the exact measurements. All my sps seem happy and have nice colour. I have most at the top and some mid level. my anemone moved from the bottom of my tank to the top back and has settled there I’m gonna guess in the 350 par range. I can get exact numbers this weekend. I’m busy this week and don’t quite remember where my seneye is.
hope that helps.

 

[JIsBusyReefing]

I have a 60” 120 I think its 26”-28” deep. I run three of these mounted parallel to The front of the tank. 9” above water level.
I have my two outer lights at 69 blue and 17 white, the middle because it sits over a glass brace I have the blue turned up to 100. I don’t remember the white. I’ll check tomorrow evening.
im getting upwards Of 425ish par about 8” below the water. I don’t recall the exact measurements. All my sps seem happy and have nice colour. I have most at the top and some mid level. my anemone moved from the bottom of my tank to the top back and has settled there I’m gonna guess in the 350 par range. I can get exact numbers this weekend. I’m busy this week and don’t quite remember where my seneye is.
hope that helps.

Thanks! Yes this helps give an idea. Are your lenses removed?

 

[George81]

No they aren’t.

 

[JIsBusyReefing]

No they aren’t.

Ah ok. Mine are for better spread, which evens out PAR distribution. So, if you did, in theory, your PAR would be ~25% less than what it is at the top, so ~320, with the settings you have now. Looks like I need to bump it up some.

 

[robby2782]

I run mine around 45% blue/ 18% white for the 20k look, and par is around 400 at the surface with the lights 12" above the water, 175 in the middle about 12" down, and 90 at the bottom. I didn't mess with the lenses or anything, and these lights will grow anything any other led out there will grow. However, the clocks on these do not stay true, and you will have to adjust them every 6 months or so to keep them from getting too far off real time.

 

[JIsBusyReefing]

I run mine around 45% blue/ 18% white for the 20k look, and par is around 400 at the surface with the lights 12" above the water, 175 in the middle about 12" down, and 90 at the bottom. I didn't mess with the lenses or anything, and these lights will grow anything any other led out there will grow. However, the clocks on these do not stay true, and you will have to adjust them every 6 months or so to keep them from getting too far off real time.

Do corals utilize the white light gamut? I keep mine lower just to be cautious of burning the corals out and I was under the impression they only use blues while the whites are purely for our eyes.

 

[John08007]

Do corals utilize the white light gamut? I keep mine lower just to be cautious of burning the corals out and I was under the impression they only use blues while the whites are purely for our eyes.

Pretty much, think they also use some uv that we can't really see

 

[Ron Reefman]

Do corals utilize the white light gamut? I keep mine lower just to be cautious of burning the corals out and I was under the impression they only use blues while the whites are purely for our eyes.

It's my understanding that blue light is every bit as capable of burning or bleaching coral as white light. It just doesn't look as bright to our eyes.

Think about it, what spectrum gives you sunburn... UV. And blue spectrum at 420-440nm is just a small step from 370-400nm UV compared to the rest of spectrum in white light.

I once thought like you, that white was just for our eyes... and that's still kind of true. Although corals do use spectrum other than blue. Blue is used by the zooxanthellae (not the coral) to do photosynthesis. But the coral does use light for other processes including pigment production.

Given your 4' tank and 31" depth, I think 3 Viparspectras are more than enough to provide all the light you need. Especially at only 8" off the water. I would recommend you run blue to white at a 3:1 ratio. I think 60:20 would be a good starting point.

Just a bit of background so you know where I'm coming from. I have used leds since the early black box fixtures came out. I've used quite a few different brands, I even worked for Ocean Revive for a couple of years. I was involved in the layout of their T247 led array and worked some with EverGrow (the Chinese manufacturer of several aquarium led fixture brands).