SPS dominant recommendations please

JOKER · Oct 27, 2017

BoomCorals said:
In my sps frag tank where all acros are 3-5" below surface, I am using two 400w radium and four T5, fixture mounted 18" above water surface. I'd lower the light or switch to 400w.

I checked par with this light, and I am around 1000 at water surface. I have to find the notes though. I think I was around 200 on sand. if I move my montipora directly below MH they bleach a little.

JOKER · Oct 27, 2017

five.five-six said:
looking really good.

I don’t think you need to go to 400’s your tank is no that deep.

I would like to see the pH a little more stable and higher, it’s not really an issue but a refugium running at night or pH controlled kalkwasser dosing could improve that.

Did you get the m58 or m80 ballests? Radiums will run very nicely on a m58 but you are likely to start having problems with them not fireing around the 6 month mark. If so, send them to me, there’s still another 6 months of good life left in them on a M80 and I’m cheep.

Went with the m80 ballast. Actually I can raise ph in tank with more surface agitation. I think when I add another powerhead it will go up. If not I have a DIY algae scrubber that I could put back online, or I could light the deep sand bed possibly. I am just enjoying a touch free tank. I have not done a manual water change in several months. My next plan is to send out a triton test to see how disappointed I will be. I am hoping that everything will actually be ok, and all my planning has worked.

CoralWealth · Oct 27, 2017

corals look good with good pe, I dont know if I would change much when they look like that.

Maybe add some more flow but that is about all I could think of.

JOKER · Oct 27, 2017

codydemmel4 said:
corals look good with good pe, I dont know if I would change much when they look like that.

Maybe add some more flow but that is about all I could think of.

Thanks I plan to add more flow for sure. I am going to start with a jebao PP15, and see where that gets me. I have a rw 20, and can go to the gyre 250 as well. the 2 250's seemed to be too much to me as it would move the tropic eden reef flakes.

JOKER · Oct 27, 2017

The photos are about 30 minutes after lights on

CoralWealth · Oct 27, 2017

JOKER said:
Thanks I plan to add more flow for sure. I am going to start with a jebao PP15, and see where that gets me. I have a rw 20, and can go to the gyre 250 as well. the 2 250's seemed to be too much to me as it would move the tropic eden reef flakes.

in my 180, I have 3 pp15s, a gyre 150 and two smaller 800gph powerheads, along with my return of around 1000 gph.

Just have to do it alternating to get different pulses throughout the tank. It definitely will take you awhile to figure out (at least it did for me) but I love how it is now with the PE of the SPS moving in all directions of the acros

BoomCorals · Oct 27, 2017

JOKER said:
I checked par with this light, and I am around 1000 at water surface. I have to find the notes though. I think I was around 200 on sand. if I move my montipora directly below MH they bleach a little.

Ah in that case, 250w yea.

JOKER · Oct 27, 2017

BoomCorals said:
Ah in that case, 250w yea.

All the FTS I have posted are only the middle MH on. If I run all 3 it blinds us so I have all frags in the center of the tank for right now. LOL. I started a canopy, but I really don't like the wood in the way so I am planning a curtain like canopy. I just have to find something I like first.

Wrangy · Oct 27, 2017

3x 250's should cover it nicely

I didn't realise you had the three! If you consider those plus 4 t5's then you're pretty set! If you find you want a little more get some blue leds to help out lol

JOKER · Oct 27, 2017

Wrangy said:
3x 250's should cover it nicely I didn't realise you had the three! If you consider those plus 4 t5's then you're pretty set! If you find you want a little more get some blue leds to help out lol

Yes I think if I need more lighting I will go with the kessil 360 or something. now just to decide if I want to go with 4 blue+ or 2 blue+, and 2 actinic. The actinic will give more color pop than blue+?

JOKER · Nov 3, 2017

So I have added the other gyre, and replaced 2 blue+ with actinic (ATI) of course. I will say the actinic with the blue+ looks awesome. I have noticed a little more PE with the actinic tonight. Im not sure if the light caused this, but I will say the color is amazing!!! The SPS glow!!! I plan to move the gyre around some to get the flow where I like it, or get something else with them.