Led versus others?

[brian.snell.3]

Started tank 7 months ago. Went with 3 ai hydra 26 on 155 bow. Have started getting more into sps. Bought par meter 3 weeks ago and with original settings suggested by LFS par was low under 100 on bed under 200 all other places. Recently ramped up lights and acclimated over 2 week period and lowered lights to 8" off water. Now running 250 middle where most sps are and 150 bottom. Is this enough? I see people running 5 and 700. Do I need to go more? I also added a supplemental 250 mh over sps. Going for mid range color v growth.

 

[diablomaster9045]

The key to SPS is stability. 250 par is fine but it will take a while for the sps to acclimate to the lower light. Some SPS do need that 500-700 par to not be brown. Now this is coming from a halide user. So take it with a grain of salt as I am not using LED's.

The 3 species I know need 500-700 par are A. abrotanoides, A. humilis, and A. robusta. These will be brown without a 400w halide or being 1 inch under the water level of a 250w halide.

 

[brian.snell.3]

Yes I have a blue humulus that has browned out. Going to wait another week lower lights a bit more going to try to get top off tank 5-600 mid level somewhere around 400. What do you mean by stability? Understand this with chemistry not lighting?

 

[diablomaster9045]

When I say stability I mean both lighting and water chemistry. Constantly changing the lighting on a tank or swapping the coral to different lighting can hinder the coral.

 

[brian.snell.3]

OK. Shooting for that stability but need those stable parameters to aim for. Think I have them now going to shoot for above numbers then leave thru summer see how it goes. Thanks

 

[hart24601]

I try and give most of my acros around 300 PAR with some liking a bit more and others a bit less, but overall 300 seems to make most happy. That is 300 PAR with LEDs (with 400nm and violets) at about 18k color lighting - it's hard to compare lighting types considering the apogee's poor near UV response and the reduced PUR with many other types warmer lighting.

 

[brian.snell.3]

That's my next feet is what levels to run colors on these I can ramp different colors. What to put where?

 

[ReefLEDLights]

I'm in the old school camp that says you need a 400 watt MH for SPS and a 250 watt MH for LPS

Most quality commercial LED Fixtures put out about a 175-250 watt MH equivelant. I can only think of one domestic LED Fixture thats a true replacement for a 400 watt MH.

78 Cree X series LEDs in a quality fixture over a tank your size in my opinion would be the minimum.

Personally I would go with twice this with a natural sunrise and sunset schedule.

I like to see a bit over 200 PAR on the sand bed. This in my experience is fine for Carpet Anonemes and Clams.

My tank is 30" deep and closer to the top I'm seeing well over 600 PAR.

Photoinhibition in SPS ranges from 300-500 PAR. Over this the corals develop reflective pigments to reflect the the extra light. This is good.

Acclimation is key.

Once acclimated and with proper water chemestry I've see SPS frags grow at 1mm per day with a PAR over 500.

Given the vast difference in LED Fixtures its good you own a PAR Meter.

Hope this helps

Bill

 

[brian.snell.3]

I thought about trying one of these lights is the xtc Sirius. Have not been able to locate?

 

[ReefLEDLights]

I thought about trying one of these lights is the xtc Sirius. Have not been able to locate?

Yes they have only been released to a few for testing.

Now that they are proven they will be released for pre order soon.

The exact date this summer has not been determined.

PM sent

Bill

 

[brian.snell.3]

Doesn't do much good need to get corrected on a short timeline