Lighting Question

[Shep]

So I see all of these lights and or controllers that allow you to have your lights increase intensity over time and the dim down over time instead of just on then off. Does this actually help corals grow and improve coral health or is it just a shiny gadget/ability people like to have? If it does help how much does it help?


Thanks for the help!
-Shep

 

[Jayellul]

shiny gadget

 

[tigerdragon]

Just ways to try to mimic natural conditions

 

[Shep]

But does it actually help corals grow and stay healthy?

 

[rboutin111]

I used to have a UFO LED light over my tank. It had two setting high and higher. Very bright light. It would suddenly turn on and off. No dimming ability. I now have a Radion that slowly ramps up and down. I've only had the Radion for 3 weeks and I have to say I've never seen the corals look so plump. My Zoas seem to be growing much fast too I don't think the ramping is what does it for the corals rather it's the ability to dim the light to the proper PAR. I do think the fish enjoy the ramping more. It always seemed to stress them for a moment when the lights would suddenly turn on or off. Now they don't jump like they used to. I hope this helps.

 

[Shep]

Thanks, that does help. I like the ramping ability it just seems to increase the cost of a light a lot.

 

[rboutin111]

It does, but to me lighting is the second most important aspect in reeding. Second only to water quality.

 

[jschultzbass]

It does, but to me lighting is the second most important aspect in reeding. Second only to water quality.

Tied with flow for second

 

[Shep]

Well I guess lighting is not as important as I thought.

 

[rboutin111]

I personally would put flow third not tied with lighting.

 

[jschultzbass]

I personally would put flow third not tied with lighting.

Actually many very knowledgeable people put flow ahead of lighting. I'm sure that debate could go on and on.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

You're tank can thrive without light for 4 or 5 days. You're tank dies in 12 hours with no flow.

 

[Kennyb1]

Corals are heterotrophic first and have autotrophic qualities. It wouldnt be so much as a competition between flow and lighting as it would be flow and the correct spectral output. Put way to much emphasis on lighting intensity. If your going with LEDs make sure you make a good investment in a full spectrum light. Radions and hydras may have shiney features but they're full spectrum LEDs. They also have a good foot print and useful features such as cloud mode and direct spectral control. The price tag might be high but the fact that they're full spectrum make them out contend many fixtures by far. Also the risidual costs make them make more sense financially. With the average life span of quality LEDs being around 50000 hours your skipping out on the need to buy more bulbs or have high electric bills. I would put flow CORRECT amounts of flow above lighting though .

 

[Shep]

How do you tell if the light you have is full spetrum? I have the reefbreeders value fixture but I don't know if they are full spectrum or not, I could not find that on thier site.

 

[Kennyb1]

Reefbreeders are good fixtures. I've definitely seen great things happen under them for people! I have used units(not reefbreeders) with the bridgelux LEDs and had some of them burnout though. Whether or not it was how the fixtures were soldered I don't know. And yeah they're no super complete but they have a good spectrum. You can definitely do with them what a 700 dollar fixture will do, your just paying for quality, clever engineering, and some useful tools.

 

[Shep]

Then I guess I do not really need to upgrade, good to know. Thanks for all the input

 

[stunreefer Verified Sponsor]

I do think the fish enjoy the ramping more. It always seemed to stress them for a moment when the lights would suddenly turn on or off. Now they don't jump like they used to.

:thumb:

Ramping periods have little effect on corals, IMO/IME, however a sudden blast of light can certainly stress fish out. This is especially apparent in QT/conditioning situations where fishes are used to a "ramping period" (unless captive bred) from the sun, so I always recommend keeping QT/conditioning light levels very low (using a dimmer on LED strip is best IMO).

 

[Fish76]

I agree that light dimming plays more of a role in tanks with fishes. When I used to have a regular on/off light the fishes would scramble, dart and freak out when the light went off. With dimming, they would just cruise to there normal sleeping spot.

 

[Shep]

I agree that light dimming plays more of a role in tanks with fishes. When I used to have a regular on/off light the fishes would scramble, dart and freak out when the light went off. With dimming, they would just cruise to there normal sleeping spot.

Yea, I do notice that when I just shut off my lights the fish do make a mad dash to their caves and spots.