Newb Lighting Questions

[clark griswold]

I have an IM Nuvo 20 (24x15x13). My tank is almost ten weeks old so I plan on adding my first corals in the next week or 2. This will be an almost exclusively LPS tank.

I'm running a Kessil a360we Tuna Blue on the tank with an ApexEL and VDM module. To get the desired spread I have the light about a 12-14" above the water. I've never owned corals before so I'm nervous about this. A few questions I could really use some advice on.

1) What is the maximum intensity I should ramp up to start off? How many hours should it stay at that max intensity?
2) Is a ten hour photo period sufficient? Any tips on the schedule?

Thank you!

 

[jda]

10 hours is fine.

Do you have access to a PAR meter? It will be the best bet to dial in intensity. Fortunately, if you do not, there are PAR maps for the 360 out there... BRS did some. I would keep it under 200-250 for most LPS, but above 75-100 on the bottom.

 

[clark griswold]

10 hours is fine.

Do you have access to a PAR meter? It will be the best bet to dial in intensity. Fortunately, if you do not, there are PAR maps for the 360 out there... BRS did some. I would keep it under 200-250 for most LPS, but above 75-100 on the bottom.

No par meter. But thanks for reminding me about the BRS vids. I'll give those another watch. Been a long time since I've looked at them.

 

[FartyParty]

FYI - Apex keeps seasonal lighting and moon table based on a pacific reef and I used it when I had DIY LED drivers for both photoperiod. I had a program to ramp in from dawn and down to dusk with the varying times. If you don’t have a preference and want to mimic a real reef, you may want to look into it.

 

[madweazl]

Mounted that high, you wont even get 100 PAR under the surface. With that said, the A360 should cover the entire 24" length of the tank mounted 8" above the water and that will bring the PAR levels up considerably. Any higher than this and you're tossing way to much light outside of the tank, wasting much of its output.