Problems with AI Prime on Nano Tank

[Tamberav]

Did no one ask about the tank? Like age? dry or live rock? parameters? dosing? a photo of the tank itself and how the prime is mounted?

I would be curious to see how the easier SPS are doing. They should not be struggling at all.

 

[FishyFishFish]

Did no one ask about the tank? Like age? dry or live rock? parameters? dosing? a photo of the tank itself and how the prime is mounted?

I would be curious to see how the easier SPS are doing. They should not be struggling at all.

I've already stated that the tank is relatively new (4 months as a grow out tank).

The question was about the lights, not necessarily about how the corals are doing. I can work on stability and parameters but I'm still a little in the dark (no pun intended) about how people are using a single AI Prime on an SPS dominated nano tank, mainly because of the shadowing from the single puck (and differing opinions on what lighting schedules to run and whether it is even powerful enough). The Prime is mounted using the AI gooseneck.

As mentioned earlier, the Birdsnestsand Montis are all doing fine. I also have a Garf Bonsai which seems to be doing ok (so far). I have a green Psammy and a CB The Thing which are both hanging on but shadowing themselves and I also have a Vivids Rainbow Delight (which I was told was an easier Acro) where I haven't seen the polyps yet and it is looking a bit pale. I've lost one other Acro and one other is looking like it might be beyond recovery (but I'm still trying).

I got a great deal on these corals and, whilst I don't want to lose any of them, I'm using this tank to learn what does and what doesn't work with SPS. I understand how to test and adjust the water parameters; I don't really know how to get the lighting right. I may have to buy/rent a PAR meter but I was hoping someone might have also been running the Evo/Prime with SPS who could give me some tips.


What I have done so far is significantly increased the feeding of liquid coral food, reduced the lighting intensity, carried out a water change and added carbon filter media; I'm also going to start adding a small amount of sodium nitrate when it arrives in the mail. Hopefully this will help, however, I'm still considering whether to keep trying with the AI Prime or trying something else; if I can get the lighting right then I can spend my effort concentrating on other things.

 

[Tamberav]

I've already stated that the tank is relatively new (4 months as a grow out tank).

The question was about the lights, not necessarily about how the corals are doing. I can work on stability and parameters but I'm still a little in the dark (no pun intended) about how people are using a single AI Prime on an SPS dominated nano tank, mainly because of the shadowing from the single puck (and differing opinions on what lighting schedules to run and whether it is even powerful enough). The Prime is mounted using the AI gooseneck.

As mentioned earlier, the Birdsnestsand Montis are all doing fine. I also have a Garf Bonsai which seems to be doing ok (so far). I have a green Psammy and a CB The Thing which are both hanging on but shadowing themselves and I also have a Vivids Rainbow Delight (which I was told was an easier Acro) where I haven't seen the polyps yet and it is looking a bit pale. I've lost one other Acro and one other is looking like it might be beyond recovery (but I'm still trying).

I got a great deal on these corals and, whilst I don't want to lose any of them, I'm using this tank to learn what does and what doesn't work with SPS. I understand how to test and adjust the water parameters; I don't really know how to get the lighting right. I may have to buy/rent a PAR meter but I was hoping someone might have also been running the Evo/Prime with SPS who could give me some tips.


What I have done so far is significantly increased the feeding of liquid coral food, reduced the lighting intensity, carried out a water change and added carbon filter media; I'm also going to start adding a small amount of sodium nitrate when it arrives in the mail. Hopefully this will help, however, I'm still considering whether to keep trying with the AI Prime or trying something else; if I can get the lighting right then I can spend my effort concentrating on other things.

I use T5's BUT I have seen tanks and you can find examples just by googling using a single prime with SPS and acro's on tanks around 10g. Now I am sure they get some shadowing on some sides that may not be too noticeable in pic's/video but shadowing shouldn't just kill an acro so that was my concern. Why are they dying?

A modified David Saxby setting's are very popular on nano-reef on smaller tanks. With blue higher and white lower. Blue somewhere from 80-100. Whites 20-30, G and DR around 4-10. UV and violet always seem to be all over from 30-115 but usually on the high side.

 

[FishyFishFish]

Thanks very much for your reply.

All the talk about Acros is that they need so much light. I was just looking at them in my tank and wondering, if that was the case, how on earth the bits in the shadows could survive. I’m am new to SPS so don’t know if the polyps in the dark will just die off and leave those in the light to keep the Acro alive, or whether the whole Acro is ‘fed’ by the light it receives on the top.

I have been using the BRS settings, with the UV and violets up at 100% (I didn’t want to over-drive the LEDs and melt the lens) but I’ve just swapped over to the unaltered Saxby setting, which might be a bit low for my single AI Prime. I’ll give it a couple of days and then might gently start to tweak it up a bit.

 

[Spare time]

With acros u really need par meter to dial in the par numbers.

1 ai prime is going to be hard for acros its simply not powerful enough.

I use 3 + 2 reefbrite xho for my 30G. I used to have 2 prime, as you may have seen in my build thread. My acros have started doing well and really taking off after I upgraded to the current lights.

I'd disagree that 1 prime isn't enough. It's a 13.5 gallon tank and will easily provide the right numbers for that small of an area.

 

[Tamberav]

Thanks very much for your reply.

All the talk about Acros is that they need so much light. I was just looking at them in my tank and wondering, if that was the case, how on earth the bits in the shadows could survive. I’m am new to SPS so don’t know if the polyps in the dark will just die off and leave those in the light to keep the Acro alive, or whether the whole Acro is ‘fed’ by the light it receives on the top.

I have been using the BRS settings, with the UV and violets up at 100% (I didn’t want to over-drive the LEDs and melt the lens) but I’ve just swapped over to the unaltered Saxby setting, which might be a bit low for my single AI Prime. I’ll give it a couple of days and then might gently start to tweak it up a bit.

Large colonies will be more noticeable since they shade themselves/the bases. The base and such can die off but that doesn't mean the whole thing goes **** up.

We are talking about a 13g though that has been up for 4 months... so not likely large colonies. Probably only ever be mini colonies due to space constraints and need of pruning.

 

[FishyFishFish]

One benefit of all of this is that my light is now ramping down for the evening, and the Saxby setting is so much prettier than the AB+ type setting from the BRS videos.

I know that some people don't like the windex look but I think that the Saxby program, with the whiter look during the day and the more blue during the evening, is awesome. I'm sticking with this for the time being!!

 

[tharbin]

One benefit of all of this is that my light is now ramping down for the evening, and the Saxby setting is so much prettier than the AB+ type setting from the BRS videos.

I know that some people don't like the windex look but I think that the Saxby program, with the whiter look during the day and the more blue during the evening, is awesome. I'm sticking with this for the time being!!

I've been using the Saxby settings for about a month now. Everything seems happier and so far it seems to be just right for my 15 gallon.