Question about lighting schedule and intensity

[The_Skrimp]

I just got a Radion XR15 Gen 5 and was hoping someone might have some experience with these lights. I've downloaded the mobius app and decided to program it to the AB+ mode because that sounded the best for growing coral overall. I was wondering about how long I should have my lights running through the day and at what intensity.

My tank is 20 inches deep and the radion sits about 9 inches above the water. right now I have it set to 50% intensity. I have it going from 11 am to 10 pm and it looks like I have full (50%) intensity light running for about 8 hours through the day with a ramp up and ramp down on either end of the lighting schedule. Will this work well for now or will that be too much light? I hope to keep a mixed reef aquarium but I definitely want these lights to handle some SPS corals.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I can't help much with your intensity levels as I have not used that fixture.

However, you photo period of 8 hours with sunrise and sunset on either side is fine. That is about as long as any zooxanthellae do photosynthesis (6 to 8 hours). Longer hours will not harm anything, but it won't do much good either. So if you want longer hours for human viewing, it's perfectly OK.

 

[canadianeh]

Just got the same light fixtures (blue ones) and wondering the same thing.

running it longer than it needs to will attract algae growth, no?

 

[The_Skrimp]

It definitely would. Im kind of worried about that too. I’m just trying to have it lit during the hours that I know I’ll enjoy it but I don’t want to bleach any corals.

 

[mike550]

I think using a PAR meter is the only way to get lighting intensity really dialed in.

 

[member 99594]

BRS has a ton of videos on those fixtures and they measure par as all sorts of different heights.

have a look in there for led info.

 

[WvAquatics]

Granted I don't have corals yet nor do I have a radion. But my plan with my reefbreeders is 4 hours of max intensity. Then I have 4 hours ramp up and 4 hrs ramp down with BRS newly suggested light settings. I figure if I run the correct light settings and just ramp them up and down the corals will get more than enough lighting to photosynthesis.

 

[member 99594]

One thing I will say. Get your lights setup first and don’t tinker!! Lol tinkering is not good.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Just got the same light fixtures (blue ones) and wondering the same thing.

running it longer than it needs to will attract algae growth, no?

It definitely would. Im kind of worried about that too. I’m just trying to have it lit during the hours that I know I’ll enjoy it but I don’t want to bleach any corals.

NO!!! Running lights longer does not cause or encourage algae growth. If you have algae issues, longer lighting can be an issue. But algae needs nitrates and phosphates as well as light to grow.

I run my lights at a fairly high PAR and for 8 hours (midday peak) I also run a 4 hour sunrise and a 5 hour sunset and I don't have any algae in my tank... it's all in my refugium!