Lighting adjustments!

[ClownFish664]

Hi all,

So I have an AI prime 16 setup on a 50L nano reef, its currently running saxby but i have HUGE amounts of hair algae. I belive the light is one of the issues as its on for so long. I have customised it to reduce reds and greens but the algae is presistant. Would changing it to a different spectrum for 10 hours (like 3 hours less than saxby) cause harm to my coral? Would anyone suggest against changing it? I am also in the process of lowering nitrates and phosphates but the system is young, only like 6 or 7 months old ish. I only keep LPS corals in here also.

CUC -
3 blue hermits
1 cleaner shrimp
1 turban snail

 

[vetteguy53081]

Run white at 17% max
Red at 3%
green at up to 4%

 

[ClownFish664]

Run white at 17% max
Red at 3%
green at up to 4%

Hi, this is my settings, this is the highest peak for the white red and green the peak to the left is 14 in white so lower than this

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi, this is my settings, this is the highest peak for the white red and green the peak to the left is 14 in white so lower than this

Is your tank at or near a window ?
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet?

 

[ClownFish664]

Is your tank at or near a window ?
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet?

RO water, tank is near a window but only indirect light and the curtains have been closed for an extreamly long time as i thought it might have been this too but its only got worse.

 

[ClownFish664]

RO water, tank is near a window but only indirect light and the curtains have been closed for an extreamly long time as i thought it might have been this too but its only got worse.

time they have been closed now is nearly a month

 

[vetteguy53081]

time they have been closed now is nearly a month

You’d be surprised, the power of UV. Even with blinds closed and. Curtains drawn, UV can still penetrate and cause this

 

[ClownFish664]

You’d be surprised, the power of UV. Even with blinds closed and. Curtains drawn, UV can still penetrate and cause this

Sorry, I should have specified, these are blacout curtains with blackout blinds behind them. The summmer motnhs get very hot in the room its in so to reduce the heat I use these together to lower temps. But now you mention it, do you think any of my other lighting settings are too high? my tank is only about 45cm or 17 inch high and the light unit it about 14 ish inch from the surface of the water 35cm

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Would changing it to a different spectrum for 10 hours (like 3 hours less than saxby) cause harm to my coral?

Do I understand correctly that you are currently running the lights for 13 hours? That does sound excessive. I mean Ecotech's AB+ setup calls for a total of 9 hours, with the first and last being ramp up. Many others will do say a 10 hour total, but the ramp up may last 3 hours, 4 hours at max, then 3 hours down.

 

[TriggersAmuck]

You could also potentially increase the number of snails....say to 5 or so of Zebra Turbos. (I have noticed differences between the Turbo species).

 

[ClownFish664]

Do I understand correctly that you are currently running the lights for 13 hours? That does sound excessive. I mean Ecotech's AB+ setup calls for a total of 9 hours, with the first and last being ramp up. Many others will do say a 10 hour total, but the ramp up may last 3 hours, 4 hours at max, then 3 hours down.

Not sure If this helps but yeah basically what it is, I have attached a photo of the light setup

 

[Bpb]

Keep the lights how you like them and add a small pincushion urchin and some trochus snails or turbo snails. Your current cleanup crew, while entertaining, doesn’t exactly carry a reputation of clearing a lot of algae

 

[ClownFish664]

Keep the lights how you like them and add a small pincushion urchin and some trochus snails or turbo snails. Your current cleanup crew, while entertaining, doesn’t exactly carry a reputation of clearing a lot of algae

Thanks,Ill look around for some more clean up crew, hard to come by as i onyl have 2 LFS that do marine sadly. But I will look online also. I figures the lack of diversity of my CUC would prove a problem.

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Thanks,Ill look around for some more clean up crew, hard to come by as i onyl have 2 LFS that do marine sadly. But I will look online also. I figures the lack of diversity of my CUC would prove a problem.

I'll second that: My Purple Pincushion Urchin does a great job (but also likes mowing over anemones and corals LOL).