Whites for lighting tank

fernalfer · May 24, 2017

Ok i recently had a bout with a bad Cyano outbreak. I did a 3 day blackout and since have had great tank husbandry and it has been cyano free for 5 months.

Now prior my LED light photo period was from 9am lights on but ramped up slowly with the highest intensity for 4 hrs. between 2pm and 5pm and then ramped back down and lights out at 10pm. 13 hrs total. But the first and last hour was basically moon lighting.

At its highest intensity the whites would be at 25% since having the 3 day blackout i've only run the blues and and UV (Purple) lights at a much lower intensity. My corals have never looked better and are growing great.

Which makes me wonder are whites even needed? Do LED lights really have to be that intense to get growth? Just wondering if this is going to fade away and i'll need to turn the whites back on slowly or if i can just continue on this way.

Anybody have any experience with this that could comment?

By the way i have Reef breeder Photon V2's 48" for lighting

saltyfilmfolks · May 24, 2017

Sounds like you found the sweet spot.
No the don't have to be super intense to work. Even with a par meter we kind of estimate what we want(i.e. Best guess)

Whites generally complete the spectrum with the blues but like kessil there is no true white blue side.

becks · May 24, 2017

I have the new versions of the maxspect that are 15k, will the white to blue balance change that K rating? and does running blues at 50% and 100% change the K rating or is just the strength of the light?

saltyfilmfolks · May 24, 2017

becks said:
I have the new versions of the maxspect that are 15k, will the white to blue balance change that K rating? and does running blues at 50% and 100% change the K rating or is just the strength of the light?

You are correct. The ratio changes the kelvin.
It is 15k native at a one to one ratio.

One way to set the light is find a ratio that you like the look of. Then, set the intensity and keep the same ratio.