SPS Lighting Schedule Help

[ReefPig]

Hi,

I don't feel that my SPS coral color or growth isn't quite what I'd expect it to be, process of elimination starting with lighting.
Feel free to provide any input you have.

I'm running one Radion G5 XR30 Blue flanked by two Orphek OR3 Blue Plus, over a three foot tank.
All lights are mounted ~9" above the water, and this cannot be changed up or down, due to mounting within hood.

Schedule is as follows:

• 9am XR30 start ramp up across all channels
• 10am XR30 reaches peak intensity of 50%, 100% all channels
• 10am OR3 turns on
• 7pm XR30 starts to ramp down to a blue spectrum
• 8pm XR30 reaches blue spectrum, 50% intensity, 100% UV, Violet, Royal and 25% Blue
• 8pm OR3 turns off
• 9pm XR30 starts to ramp down
• 10pm XR30 turns off

With an Apogee MQ510 this measures peak PAR between 350 and 450 depending where it's measured.

 

[Doctorgori]

just one opinion/input ... but I run a shorter schedule not more than 10hrs incl ramp up/down ....
My intense period is 4hrs
I like 12K , I’d pop a lil red for balance, not much
I’m no SPS expert but try slightly lower temps; like 77F and see if that colors them up a lil (its admittedly a weak anecdotal corollary) ... but its a VERY safe adjustment, you can do 1 degree a day, won’t bother anything.
what are your reds and oranges looking like? ... I’m a lil nervous suggesting this as I’m not 100% sure, but whatever color ATI’s purple plus is seems to really balance colors IMO, esp oranges ...I can’t explain and I’m really tentative saying it. Not sure how you could emulate that either using those sliders

 

[MONTANTK]

While I’m still a novice when it comes to SPS, my guess is one G5 is not enough. Probably better to have two XR15s. Could also try increasing flow

 

[ReefPig]

just one opinion/input ... but I run a shorter schedule not more than 10hrs incl ramp up/down ....
My intense period is 4hrs
I like 12K , I’d pop a lil red for balance, not much
I’m no SPS expert but try slightly lower temps; like 77F and see if that colors them up a lil (its admittedly a weak anecdotal corollary) ... but its a VERY safe adjustment, you can do 1 degree a day, won’t bother anything.
what are your reds and oranges looking like? ... I’m a lil nervous suggesting this as I’m not 100% sure, but whatever color ATI’s purple plus is seems to really balance colors IMO, esp oranges ...I can’t explain and I’m really tentative saying it. Not sure how you could emulate that either using those sliders

While I’m still a novice when it comes to SPS, my guess is one G5 is not enough. Probably better to have two XR15s. Could also try increasing flows

Thank you both, but I’m asking for feedback on my lighting schedule specifically.
My temp and flow are fine as they are. I run at 77.9f/25.5c and have very high flow, around the 80x mark.
Likewise, one XR30 + two OR3 bars is fine, I get reasonably consistent PAR throughout, I have my own Apogee to test this. Its only a 3foot tank.

 

[MONTANTK]

Thank you both, but I’m asking for feedback on my lighting schedule specifically.
My temp and flow are fine as they are. I run at 77.9f/25.5c and have very high flow, around the 80x mark.
Likewise, one XR30 + two OR3 bars is fine, I get reasonably consistent PAR throughout, I have my own Apogee to test this. Its only a 3foot tank.

Are you dosing anything?

 

[X-37B]

I know you cant change it but all my friends that run led, I do not, run them at 14" up to 24" above the water.
I have an OR3 blue plus light bar for supplement and anything closer than 14" it will have a very focused beam. Same with the XR.
On that tank you could run 2 OR3's and grow anything you want from what I see on OR3 lit tanks.
You may just have to much focused light as all your lighting is top of the line.
Just my thoughts.

 

[ReefPig]

Sorry, I know you’re trying to be helpful, but I find it incredibly frustrating that people throw in all sorts of random nonsense, when I asked a very specific question about my light schedule.

Asking me, “are you dosing anything?”

No no, I don’t dose, nor do I water change, I thought corals could just magically grow, you mean I need to do something else?

Sarcasm aside, my question was about my lighting SCHEDULE in the lighting sub forum. I didn’t ask a general question about my coral health or how to run a tank.

What baffles me is that I already once said to MONTANTK, thanks but my question was about schedule, and then they continued to ask me about dosing.

As my dad taught me, if you have nothing of value to say, don’t say anything at all.

Moan over, you get my point.

 

[old salt reefer]

Are you dosing anything?

Why?

kingy138--Thank you ,I thought it was just me. you must have been typing at the same time as me.

 

[Opes]

What are you not happy about colors? Pale, Brown, etc...

If they are too pale, I would consider shortening my shcedule or lowering intesity.

If they are browned out, I might increase the photo period. Your lighting schedule is a little long for my tatse.

Mine are set at 9 hours total including ramp up and down, and I feel like I have good color and growth. FYI, I am running G4 Pros over a shallow reef. Tank is 16 inches deep, and lights are about 24" above the water.

I understand your frustration, but sometimes answers that sometimes seem unrelated to lights (nutrient level for example) can affect what type of light intesity and schedule for best results.

 

[ReefPig]

What are you not happy about colors? Pale, Brown, etc...

If they are too pale, I would consider shortening my shcedule or lowering intesity.

If they are browned out, I might increase the photo period. Your lighting schedule is a little long for my tatse.

Mine are set at 9 hours total including ramp up and down, and I feel like I have good color and growth. FYI, I am running G4 Pros over a shallow reef. Tank is 16 inches deep, and lights are about 24" above the water.

I understand your frustration, but sometimes answers that sometimes seem unrelated to lights (nutrient level for example) can affect what type of light intesity and schedule for best results.

Some are on the browner side, some are on the lighter side, but mostly they don’t quite have the colours they should and growth is slow.
Its a 12 month old tank, and I’ve a reasonable grip on nutrients, tracking around 0.03 PO4 and 10 NO3, of which I dose nitrates, so that I can run my algae reactor for longer and thus not need to run any phosphate media.

I’m running Triton and my elements are in check, according to monthly ICP’s and additional dosing of certain elements they recommend, such as Iodine.

Perhaps a shorter cycle would be beneficial, but read many people pushing 12 hours.

 

[minus9]

Sorry, I know you’re trying to be helpful, but I find it incredibly frustrating that people throw in all sorts of random nonsense, when I asked a very specific question about my light schedule.

Asking me, “are you dosing anything?”

No no, I don’t dose, nor do I water change, I thought corals could just magically grow, you mean I need to do something else?

Sarcasm aside, my question was about my lighting SCHEDULE in the lighting sub forum. I didn’t ask a general question about my coral health or how to run a tank.

What baffles me is that I already once said to MONTANTK, thanks but my question was about schedule, and then they continued to ask me about dosing.

As my dad taught me, if you have nothing of value to say, don’t say anything at all.

Moan over, you get my point.

Your schedule seems fine, but if you have doubts, then I would suggest you run the ab+ program that so many use and set the intensity to match your depth of tank. Also, lighting isn't the only factor to consider for coral color, in fact, it's one third of the overall equation. Light, flow and chemistry all work together, so if one fails or goes outside the optimal range, then you will see change. Asking about coral color and focusing only on lighting schedule kinda limits your results and probably leaves out other factors that could ultimately give you better results or answers to your question. My advice would be to consider the questions that are being asked by others here, as they are trying to help.
If you feel that everything is in the optimal range and lighting is your only concern, then simply alter one thing in your schedule and see if it does anything? But only alter one thing at a time, that way you'll have a definitive answer to your question.

 

[minus9]

I would stop dosing NO3 and feed your fish smaller amounts throughout the day. I would also let your nitrates drop a little and let your PO4 rise a little.
Just my two pennies.

 

[old salt reefer]

I have XR15 blues on a new build(2 months now). I run a 12 hour cycle. I had mine set very close to what you use(47% intensity for me) and my corals were bleaching. I have now lowered the peak time from 9 hours down to 7 hours, it has helped. I may lower it down to 6 hours(which would be a 3 hour ramp up/down- it's now at 2.5 up/down). As it's a new tank some of my problem could be nutrients-I'm working on that.
I have other tanks with AI prime 16HDs on them where I run the BRS AB+ spectrum on them with a 12 hour cycle(6 hours at peak) and everything grows great in those tanks. i guess I'm saying that 12 hour cycle works good for me but only half of that is at peak. I read somewhere that to much light and the zooxanthellae produce more "stuff" than the coral can use and that's bad for them(the coral).
You could either lower the time your lights are at peak or shorten the lenght of time the lights are on and see what happens. Another option could be ups and down-- you hit peak at 10 AM, how about at 11 AM the intensity lowers to 40% then at 12 noon back up to 50% and so on (the lights will ramp down and back up in that hour-it's built into the program). You could do this up/down thing just during the peak time of your schedule.(would this be like clouds--that's a feature of the Radions but I never tried it and don't know how it works).

 

[MONTANTK]

Why?

kingy138--Thank you ,I thought it was just me. you must have been typing at the same time as me.

I was just going to suggest perhaps dosing something like fuel or acro power and see if it helps

 

[ReefPig]

I was just going to suggest perhaps dosing something like fuel or acro power and see if it helps

and perhaps the twice I mentioned that i was specifically asking about lighting schedule would make you think that is what i wanted to discuss. I didn't ask a general question.
Thanks for your input, but as you openly said, you're a novice and have nothing to contribute to the discussion, perhaps it's better to say nothing something.

 

[ReefPig]

I have XR15 blues on a new build(2 months now). I run a 12 hour cycle. I had mine set very close to what you use(47% intensity for me) and my corals were bleaching. I have now lowered the peak time from 9 hours down to 7 hours, it has helped. I may lower it down to 6 hours(which would be a 3 hour ramp up/down- it's now at 2.5 up/down). As it's a new tank some of my problem could be nutrients-I'm working on that.
I have other tanks with AI prime 16HDs on them where I run the BRS AB+ spectrum on them with a 12 hour cycle(6 hours at peak) and everything grows great in those tanks. i guess I'm saying that 12 hour cycle works good for me but only half of that is at peak. I read somewhere that to much light and the zooxanthellae produce more "stuff" than the coral can use and that's bad for them(the coral).
You could either lower the time your lights are at peak or shorten the lenght of time the lights are on and see what happens. Another option could be ups and down-- you hit peak at 10 AM, how about at 11 AM the intensity lowers to 40% then at 12 noon back up to 50% and so on (the lights will ramp down and back up in that hour-it's built into the program). You could do this up/down thing just during the peak time of your schedule.(would this be like clouds--that's a feature of the Radions but I never tried it and don't know how it works).

Great, thank you very much.

 

[MONTANTK]

and perhaps the twice I mentioned that i was specifically asking about lighting schedule would make you think that is what i wanted to discuss. I didn't ask a general question.
Thanks for your input, but as you openly said, you're a novice and have nothing to contribute to the discussion, perhaps it's better to say nothing something.

Jeez man. I’ve been in the hobby long enough to know that it’s possible you think one thing is the issue and it’s something different. I gave you input about lighting. Just because I’m a novice at SPS doesn’t mean my recommendations are invalid

 

[old salt reefer]

I’ve been in the hobby long enough to know that it’s possible you think one thing is the issue and it’s something different.

You are so CORRECT with that statement.

I can answer your question-are you dosing anything--yes, light.

 

[George81]

and perhaps the twice I mentioned that i was specifically asking about lighting schedule would make you think that is what i wanted to discuss. I didn't ask a general question.
Thanks for your input, but as you openly said, you're a novice and have nothing to contribute to the discussion, perhaps it's better to say nothing something.

@kingy138 perhaps you should drop the nastiness and arrogance. You don’t have anything to back your arrogance up with, hence why you’re here asking novice questions.
with a closed minded attitude such as yours you are going to continue to have mediocre results like you’re having.
you can learn something from everyone whether it’s what to do or what not to do.
as stated before lighting is only a piece of the puzzle. people run black boxes without all those nonsensical sliders and run them quite successfully....
btw....
take as much offence to this as you want...and maybe look at the good advice that was given like try dosing acropower.

 

[ReefPig]

Jeez man. I’ve been in the hobby long enough to know that it’s possible you think one thing is the issue and it’s something different. I gave you input about lighting. Just because I’m a novice at SPS doesn’t mean my recommendations are invalid

@kingy138 perhaps you should drop the nastiness and arrogance. You don’t have anything to back your arrogance up with, hence why you’re here asking novice questions.
with a closed minded attitude such as yours you are going to continue to have mediocre results like you’re having.
you can learn something from everyone whether it’s what to do or what not to do.
as stated before lighting is only a piece of the puzzle. people run black boxes without all those nonsensical sliders and run them quite successfully....
btw....
take as much offence to this as you want...and maybe look at the good advice that was given like try dosing acropower.

Guys, if I had started the thread in general forums asking why my coral colour wasn’t where I think it should be, I would expect me to have provided a load of information up from around params and setup, and for you guys to ask a bunch of questions and for us to have some dialogue.

I didn’t do that, in the lighting sub forum I asked a VERY specific question about schedule.

Thats not a novice question and many people are still learning how the G5’s behave, which is very different to the G4’s.

Assume for a moment that I test my water multiple times a week, I do ICP’s, and I’m in tune with my tank, but I’m questioning my lighting schedule and I’m looking for people either with the same light as me, or very similar, who can actually contribute to the discussion with me.

Not random nonsense like “do you dose anything”. Yes I do, a range of things, but that’s got zero to do with the question I asked.

I appreciate the help, but this is what annoys me about this forum, is that everyone assumes everyone else knows nothing and they throw all sorts of crap into discussions which don’t help at all.

Its not nasty or arrogant to twice tell someone that they are asking a specific question and that they don’t want to talk about other stuff, only to be asked something unrelated a third time.

As I said, if you have nothing of value to add, then please don’t contribute, it’s not difficult.