Too Much light?

[Graffiti Spot]

To me raising too high looks ugly and if you’re constantly blasting at 100%, it shorten the life span of the light. But hey, that’s your light do what you like and if that yield good growth, go for it but just my opinion.

I don’t use led fixtures but every single tank that has blown me away has used fixtures mounted high and turned to a high percentage. I visited a reefers house years ago when led was just blue and white who used this method and was having his acropora spawn. I think we figured out a while ago that keeping led fixtures close to the tank on low settings doesn’t yield the best results. If your worried about your equipment more than your corals though, keep them low. I am no led guru, though I have noticed a large difference between tanks that mount lots of fixtures higher up, and tanks that mount the minimum amount and keep them very low. Now I am sure there are people in the middle keeping amazing tanks too, I just ask that people search for some of these tanks that use the light mounted higher. Might change your mind. If I had time I would gather and post some links. The guy I visited that had acros spawning years ago won the tank of the month around the same time so that one is East to find. I wish we still had those tank of the months going, they were an inspiration!

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I don’t use led fixtures but every single tank that has blown me away has used fixtures mounted high and turned to a high percentage. I visited a reefers house years ago when led was just blue and white who used this method and was having his acropora spawn. I think we figured out a while ago that keeping led fixtures close to the tank on low settings doesn’t yield the best results. If your worried about your equipment more than your corals though, keep them low. I am no led guru, though I have noticed a large difference between tanks that mount lots of fixtures higher up, and tanks that mount the minimum amount and keep them very low. Now I am sure there are people in the middle keeping amazing tanks too, I just ask that people search for some of these tanks that use the light mounted higher. Might change your mind. If I had time I would gather and post some links. The guy I visited that had acros spawning years ago won the tank of the month around the same time so that one is East to find. I wish we still had those tank of the months going, they were an inspiration!

Good to know but as of know I like the look of my lights. I don’t want to turn my tank to a grow out tank lol.

 

[xabo]

6 radions , Same height ran them at 60% no diffusers. Added t5 running them at 50% now getting 450 top 340 middle 240 sand. 100% seems a little high.

How do you like the look?

 

[xabo]

I would just raise the lights. Check out all the really successful led tanks you like. I did and noticed the only ones I liked ran their lights really high and kept them at 100%. Running led close to the water and at low percentages is not really using the light to it’s full potential imo.

Tank is a in-wall and lights are mounted 2" below ceiling, can't go any higher.

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

Since you have the diffusers, I would add them then adjust the height or intensity to get 200 - 250 PAR on the bottom. The diffusers spread the light much more evenly and eliminate the disco effect. I use them on all of my Radions and love them.

 

[Justin Aretz]

I’m not sure how all of these previous responses can be formulated when this question is extremely subjective. My “sps” tank has low light deep water sps that do best in 250 par and lagoonal sps that I dump 600-700 par on for 10 hours a day. The best thing to do would be to figure out what kind of sps tank you are trying to build, and use those specific species needs to help in guiding you to your answer to the OP question

 

[Dlealrious]

30" getting high 400's, low 500's in some places

There is no issue with 500 par, that's not really that high if you want a acro dominant tank

 

[NeverlosT]

Rob's Reef, an epic tank in San Francisco area, runs like 700 PAR in places and has killer SPS. I think it is all about the combination of flow, water chemistry, light, and species that allow the success at those light levels.

So you CAN have super high PAR and great success, but I'd say there is nothing wrong with starting with lower PAR and slowly increasing. That is the great advantage of LEDs!