Lighting

[Reef_Boy-88]

Hello. I have a 40 gallon innovative marine tank with 1 reef led 90… I’m not really sure what kind of lighting settings i should use for best coral growth. I’ve been messing around with it for a few months now but i haven’t really seen much coral growth. I’ve been running 65% blue and about 30% white for a while but haven’t seen much happen. Any tips?

 

[crazyfishmom]

Hello. I have a 40 gallon innovative marine tank with 1 reef led 90… I’m not really sure what kind of lighting settings i should use for best coral growth. I’ve been messing around with it for a few months now but i haven’t really seen much coral growth. I’ve been running 65% blue and about 30% white for a while but haven’t seen much happen. Any tips?

How many inches above the water are they located?

How deep is the tank?

I have mine at 100% blue, 20% white for a 25 inch tall tank.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Greetings @Reef_Boy-88 Glenn from Scottsdale. Your light settings look fine. Is your tank pleasing to your eyes? Not too blue, not too white. Your coral ( within reason) will acclimate to your lights. What corals do you have?

 

[Reef_Boy-88]

How many inches above the water are they located?

How deep is the tank?

I have mine at 100% blue, 20% white for a 25 inch tall tank.

Mine is 20 inches tall and i’d say the lights are close to a foot off the top of the tank… I was messing with it today and put it to the same settings you have lol

 

[Reef_Boy-88]

Greetings @Reef_Boy-88 Glenn from Scottsdale. Your light settings look fine. Is your tank pleasing to your eyes? Not too blue, not too white. Your coral ( within reason) will acclimate to your lights. What corals do you have?

I have it really blue right now. It was nicer to look at. I have hammers gonnis mushrooms xenia gsp etc

 

[crazyfishmom]

Mine is 20 inches tall and i’d say the lights are close to a foot off the top of the tank… I was messing with it today and put it to the same settings you have lol

With those settings I have great acro growth at the top of the tank and my scolys and trachys are doing great at the bottom of the tank so I think your coral will also do well. I would consider running an acclimation period since corals can normally adapt to lighting conditions if done slowly.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I have it really blue right now. It was nicer to look at. I have hammers gonnis mushrooms xenia gsp etc

Nice choices. Gsp look great under blues!

 

[Reef_Boy-88]

Nice choices. Gsp look great under blues!

Thanks. Mine is on the back glass. I’m trying to cover the whole wall but not much growth has shown that’s why i’m tryna figure it out

 

[Reef_Boy-88]

With those settings I have great acro growth at the top of the tank and my scolys and trachys are doing great at the bottom of the tank so I think your coral will also do well. I would consider running an acclimation period since corals can normally adapt to lighting conditions if done slowly.

Ok so 100% blue and like %20 white?

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Thanks. Mine is on the back glass. I’m trying to cover the whole wall but not much growth has shown that’s why i’m tryna figure it out

So newer, younger tanks struggled to have the growth rate that established tanks have. After about a year or so, your tank is really much more mature. Corals tend to do much better in that environment vs a very sterile environment.

 

[Reef_Boy-88]

So newer, younger tanks struggled to have the growth rate that established tanks have. After about a year or so, your tank is really much more mature. Corals tend to do much better in that environment vs a very sterile environment.

thanks

 

[crazyfishmom]

Ok so 100% blue and like %20 white?

That’s what I use. By the way, the tank I’m referring to with that lighting is only 3 months old.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Mine is 20 inches tall and i’d say the lights are close to a foot off the top of the tank… I was messing with it today and put it to the same settings you have lol

The way to get the height of your lights right is look at spill over onto the ground. Raiser lower in order to get rid of spill over. Mine are about 8 inches above the tank. I agree with crazyfishmom about settings. I have mine at 100% for all blues, and 20% and 15% for whites.

 

[Reef_Boy-88]

That’s what I use. By the way, the tank I’m referring to with that lighting is only 3 months old.

So is mine

 

[Reef_Boy-88]

The way to get the height of your lights right is look at spill over onto the ground. Raiser lower in order to get rid of spill over. Mine are about 8 inches above the tank. I agree with crazyfishmom about settings. I have mine at 100% for all blues, and 20% and 15% for whites.

Ok thanks. I adjusted the height to about 6 inches or so above the tank