Sps Dominant reefer 525xl

Griff · Sep 18, 2016

I recently purchased a mix of 50 Acros/milli's. I've used the below lighting schedule on my smaller tank with AI primes for about 3 years. With limited success. I did get growth but it was slow. The old tank has since been converted to an observation tank.

The new tank is a reefer 525xl with 3 AI Hydra 26 HD's. I'm currently using the same schedule but am concerned it's not enough light for the Acros/milli's.

My questions are do I need to turn up the power? Do I need another light? Do I need to change the spectrum/schedule?

Light is apprx 12 inches above water. Tank is 60x24x24

david p. · Sep 18, 2016

i would recommend to get a PAR meter or lux meter to get real data for your system. Eye is not a good tool to guess specially with LED.

hotnickz07 · Sep 18, 2016

This was my most successful schedule i used in when i had hydras. Your schedule looks good as well. Dont think for a minute you are not putting down enough light. Leds will fry your corals if you are not carefull. The minute you see corals stressed, ei bleaching, no p.e rtn/stn.. you should crank your lights down. Less is better in my opinion, and work your way up very slowly. About 3 to 5% every 2 weeks is good. If you decide to use my graph , use coral acclimmation mode, and start it with 55 to 60 percent reduction. Good luck

hotnickz07 · Sep 18, 2016

Also , i would get a 4th unit if it was my tank. More coverage is the key for great led tanks

Griff · Sep 18, 2016

hotnickz07 said:
Also , i would get a 4th unit if it was my tank. More coverage is the key for great led tanks

I'd like to do another as well but can't spend the money right now

If you look at the scape its 3 islands with a light above each. So as much as I want the 4th light I think I'm ok for now. Do you agree/ see my logic?

Griff · Sep 18, 2016

hotnickz07 said:
This was my most successful schedule i used in when i had hydras. Your schedule looks good as well. Dont think for a minute you are not putting down enough light. Leds will fry your corals if you are not carefull. The minute you see corals stressed, ei bleaching, no p.e rtn/stn.. you should crank your lights down. Less is better in my opinion, and work your way up very slowly. About 3 to 5% every 2 weeks is good. If you decide to use my graph , use coral acclimmation mode, and start it with 55 to 60 percent reduction. Good luck

The hard part is they are a little bleached from shipping stress already. Based on what your percentages are I think I'm ok as my highest spectrum is only at 60%. Think I'm ok to leave it as it then raise each one 5% every two weeks until I see bleaching then move down 5% when that happens?

The frags were under metal halides before I got them.

hotnickz07 · Sep 18, 2016

Griff said:
The hard part is they are a little bleached from shipping stress already. Based on what your percentages are I think I'm ok as my highest spectrum is only at 60%. Think I'm ok to leave it as it then raise each one 5% every two weeks until I see bleaching then move down 5% when that happens?

The frags were under metal halides before I got them.

If they are a little bleached/stressed from the shipping i would lower lights about 10% for about 1 week. Also MH does put a lot of light, but led are different. A 200 watt mh is not not same as 200 w led unit. Hence why people get par readers, to get the actual par they are getting for the leds. Trust me i fried so many sps with the hydras it wasnt even funny. Take it veryyyy slow.