Lighting Advice Needed...

[roadkeel]

I currently have 2 Reef Radiance 155's mounted over my 90 gallon tank. My tank is a standard 48x18x24 and has a center brace. Due to my height restrictions under my canopy I have the 155's mounted just a little over 4" from the water surface. From everything I've read in the last week or so that is way too close. Also, something has happened to one of the fixtures. The whites are fine and I run them at 20% intensity for 7 hours each day. However, in order to get the blues the same amount on each side I have to run one at 25% and the other at 80%. When I look at all the LEDs they appear to be working.

Some of my corals look bad. I have some zoas that were blue when I bought them that are now kind of a pale brown. But they seem to be healthy. They eat (I feed Reef Chili twice per week) and they are multiplying. But the colors in some of my zoas, my mushrooms, my toadstool and my torches seem to be faded/dingy. All of my parameters are checked weekly at home and once a month at my LFS.

My wife is in love with the Kessils over the aquariums at my LFS. And I really like them too. But before I spend somewhere in the neighborhood of $1000 I want to really know if this will help my corals. Going without a canopy is not really an option since I have a couple of jumpers.

Any advice or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Add 2 t5's. 10 or 14k & actinic. Or a powercompact 50/50. maybe add a vent to the canopy for air circulation. I put in a 12v fan in my vents.
If you are in a local club borrow a par meter and make sure your not over lighting with the led's.

 

[redfishbluefish]

........However, in order to get the blues the same amount on each side I have to run one at 25% and the other at 80%.........

Something is wrong. Look closely at the blue LEDs....expecially the one set at 80%....are they burnt. Here's what burnt LEDs look like:

They are still emitting light, but the center portion is blackened.

You have two of the same fixtures....they should both be set at the same percentages. You need to check that out.

As far as height off the water, how do you have the lights mounted in the canopy? Could you mount them differently to raise them up.....that is, is there room above to raise them up. Otherwise you might wish to build a new canopy.

 

[roadkeel]

I have them mounted directly to the canopy with the shortest "L" brackets I could use and still have clearance to plug in the power cord. So I'm maxed out as far as height.

I fear that my only two options (if I want to stay with LEDs) is to either have a taller canopy built or switch to the Kessil 360's and use a hole saw in my canopy and mount them so the lenses is flush with the canopy and the remainder of the fixture is above my canopy.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

sounds like a budget call.
Im guessing you have now about 3in above the led maybe 4. if you want to stick with the current led. google 90 degree power cord(image search). it'll buy you 2in or so.
Also google Louvered round vent. you have a hole saw & those fixtures need to breathe. The cover will cut unwanted spill.
The kessel solution would allow expansion if you wanted to add t5 etc.

For what its worth my 55 has led that ramps up and PC for 6hr with good color, my 28 is all led and is brown. (about to fix that)

It is a thought that if your intensity is too high the corals are expelling zoo-algae. could be other things though too. food etc.