Lighting question

[johnny4491]

How long should I be leaving my lights on for my coral, I don’t want to be leaving them off to long and I don’t want to be cutting them short I have the aqua knight Led

 

[Porpoise Hork]

For most corals depending on the type of light system, PAR levels at the sand bed, and type of corals you keep, you're looking at anywhere between 8-12 hours total per day.

The most important thing to remember is slow acclimation time for the lighting. It can take weeks for the corals to fully adapt to a new light or a change in the hours per day they are active. So if increasing the time per day you would want to add 30 mins to the run time each week until you have it at the number of hours you want to run.

 

[Crabs McJones]

How long should I be leaving my lights on for my coral, I don’t want to be leaving them off to long and I don’t want to be cutting them short I have the aqua knight Led

Not familiar with your light, however the average photoperiod is generally 8 to 12 hours. I run mine 10, 1 hour ramp up, 8 hours at full intensity, and then 1 hour ramp down.

 

[johnny4491]

For most corals depending on the type of light system, PAR levels at the sand bed, and type of corals you keep, you're looking at anywhere between 8-12 hours total per day.

The most important thing to remember is slow acclimation time for the lighting. It can take weeks for the corals to fully adapt to a new light or a change in the hours per day they are active. So if increasing the time per day you would want to add 30 mins to the run time each week until you have it at the number of hours you want to run.

I have the aqua knight light and I have a couple of zoas right now and thank you I was only running them for 6 hours

 

[johnny4491]

Not familiar with your light, however the average photoperiod is generally 8 to 12 hours. I run mine 10, 1 hour ramp up, 8 hours at full intensity, and then 1 hour ramp down.

Ok thank you I’m going to try that schedule

 

[HB AL]

I run em 13.5 hours at 100% intensity

 

[johnny4491]

I run em 13.5 hours at 100% intensity

Nice [emoji106]

 

[Porpoise Hork]

I have the aqua knight light and I have a couple of zoas right now and thank you I was only running them for 6 hours

The aqua knight is a decent light and produces adequate PAR for soft and most LPS corals. I wouldn't run it on anything deeper than 18" as you would likely fall well below the 70-80 minimum PAR needed for softies and LPS. That being said corals are amazingly adaptive and can thrive in light levels that low provided the water chemistry is right, and you run the lights for 12+ hours.

 

[johnny4491]

The aqua knight is a decent light and produces adequate PAR for soft and most LPS corals. I wouldn't run it on anything deeper than 18" as you would likely fall well below the 70-80 minimum PAR needed for softies and LPS. That being said corals are amazingly adaptive and can thrive in light levels that low provided the water chemistry is right, and you run the lights for 12+ hours.

What do you mean by no deeper then 18”

 

[Porpoise Hork]

What do you mean by no deeper then 18”

Your tank depth to the sand bed. These lights are not designed to handle anything much deeper than 18". Depending on the size of tank you have, you will either be OK as long as the tank dimensions are within the coverage area listed on the light. Otherwise you will probably want to invest in either supplemental light like a LED Reef Bar or adding a second Aqua Knight to ensure you are providing adequate coverage to your tank.

 

[johnny4491]

Your tank depth to the sand bed. These lights are not designed to handle anything much deeper than 18". Depending on the size of tank you have, you will either be OK as long as the tank dimensions are within the coverage area listed on the light. Otherwise you will probably want to invest in either supplemental light like a LED Reef Bar or adding a second Aqua Knight to ensure you are providing adequate coverage to your tank.

Let me measure when I get home [emoji36] I should of asked before I got it

 

[Porpoise Hork]

What size or kind of tank do you have?

 

[johnny4491]

What size or kind of tank do you have?

I just measured and it’s 16” and I have a 20 gal

 

[Porpoise Hork]

You're light is perfect for this size tank. If you had a 40 breeder or something like that you would need a second one.

 

[johnny4491]

You're light is perfect for this size tank. If you had a 40 breeder or something like that you would need a second one.

Iol thank you [emoji4] do you think a anemone would be okay in there

 

[Porpoise Hork]

Possibly, depending on the type, age of the tank, and how much flow you have. Just be sure to research the requirements for the kind you're considering. Just remember that unlike corals, anemones will move around until they find a spot they are happy with and will also sting any nearby corals. A good alternative to nems are torches. Branching types once they get a few heads on them will look amazing similar and clowns will usually host in them. Although the coral may not be too thrilled with it at first. Mine can't decide where they want to be so they are regularly moving between my torch forest, GSP mat or my duncans...

 

[johnny4491]

Possibly, depending on the type, age of the tank, and how much flow you have. Just be sure to research the requirements for the kind you're considering. Just remember that unlike corals, anemones will move around until they find a spot they are happy with and will also sting any nearby corals. A good alternative to nems are torches. Branching types once they get a few heads on them will look amazing similar and clowns will usually host in them. Although the coral may not be too thrilled with it at first. Mine can't decide where they want to be so they are regularly moving between my torch forest, GSP mat or my duncans...

Thank you that was nice info but I once read that torches can hurt clowns because there to sharp and can cut them and I have a pair of clown and I wanted something like a bubble tip or something

 

[norfolkgarden]

Thank you that was nice info but I once read that torches can hurt clowns because there to sharp and can cut them and I have a pair of clown and I wanted something like a bubble tip or something

After you finish reading about 4 hours worth of info and threads about bubble tips you may be ready to acquire the lights and powerhead and overflow guards to enjoy one for more than a month. [emoji53]
A pink bubble tip with a green base is absolutely beautiful. Just higher requirements than a lot of other stuff you could use as a host.

FWIW bubble tips are not the anemone that are a natural host for clowns.
A lot of people get it to work all the time, but it isn't anymore true to life than a frogspawn host.

Torch frags of just a few heads might get beat up by your clowns. That should be the only way the clowns make it down past the fleshy part to the sharp torch skeleton.
Euphyllia come in different amazing colors and varieties.
If you wanted you could consider a frogspawn with 5 or 6 heads.

 

[johnny4491]

After you finish reading about 4 hours worth of info and threads about bubble tips you may be ready to acquire the lights and powerhead and overflow guards to enjoy one for more than a month. [emoji53]
A pink bubble tip with a green base is absolutely beautiful. Just higher requirements than a lot of other stuff you could use as a host.

FWIW bubble tips are not the anemone that are a natural host for clowns.
A lot of people get it to work all the time, but it isn't anymore true to life than a frogspawn host.

Torch frags of just a few heads might get beat up by your clowns. That should be the only way the clowns make it down past the fleshy part to the sharp torch skeleton.
Euphyllia come in different amazing colors and varieties.
If you wanted you could consider a frogspawn with 5 or 6 heads.

Thank you I will look into them and read more about it

 

[Porpoise Hork]

Thank you that was nice info but I once read that torches can hurt clowns because there to sharp and can cut them and I have a pair of clown and I wanted something like a bubble tip or something

It really depends on the clowns and how aggressive the TLC is they give to the torch and what variety. Mine have not have had any issues with the frogspawns, hammers or torches they have tried out hosting in. My torches range from toxic green to various tri-color Indo and Aussie golds and the one they like the best is the Indo blue tip. It has a rather large polyp head compared my other torches so it provides a bit more of a cushion I guess. Ocellaris can be rather overzealous with hosting, but each fish is different as are different types of clowns. I have seen some beat the crap out of the anemones they were hosting while others barely came in contact with the tentacles and rarely swam into them. Plus with torches or other euphyllia, you don't have to worry about your fish getting eaten.