LEDs and Acropora...Please shed some light on this topic (urrghhhh...)

[jasonandsarah]

One more thing, im sure we would all like to see coral farmers using leds and start moving away from mh so our corals have a better chance in our tanks.

Cultivated reef is a coral farm local to me that uses almost entirely Leds. Not only do they use leds but they use Radions so double bonus for me[emoji4]

 

[Mark426]

Positive proof that SPS can not be successfully grown with LEDs.



p.s. This is not mine! I prefer brown corals.

 

[jasonandsarah]

Positive proof that SPS can not be successfully grown with LEDs.



p.s. This is not mine! I prefer brown corals.

Got any shots of this tank a year ago before you started using the Radions? [emoji4]

 

[bklynreef]

Id like to know how deep is his tank, intensity and spectrum he picked.

 

[jasonandsarah]

Id like to know how deep is his tank, intensity and spectrum he picked.

Ditto but I'd just like to see the actual growth first. Looks amazing either way though!

 

[bklynreef]

Ditto but I'd just like to see the actual growth first. Looks amazing either way though!

Jasonandsara, im curious as i know your usuing the radions as well and would like to know what you set yours at. Also what spectrum you chose.
Right now im using pros at 70% 18K setting my tank is 36in deep. I was getting nice coloration at 20K but i didnt feel i was getting the growth like everyone else does so im trying 18K. Ive had too much experience frying my corals under them or browning them out. so far at least theyre living and have color.

 

[Chaz D]

In other words do corals bleach under high levels of blue as easily as high levels of white.

Is it necessarily even blue vs. white light? I've seen way too many tanks where the owners were able to successfully crank the whites (after a reasonable acclimation period). Growth in these tanks was on par with T5 and halide lit tanks. In my mind it's not so much about the light color but instead the combination of lighting, high alkalinity and low nutrients. I tend to note that factor in 90+% of "my sticks are bleaching" threads. It's a shame the lighting takes the blame for what should be a water quality issue.

 

[acolotto]

Is it necessarily even blue vs. white light? I've seen way too many tanks where the owners were able to successfully crank the whites (after a reasonable acclimation period). Growth in these tanks was on par with T5 and halide lit tanks. In my mind it's not so much about the light color but instead the combination of lighting, high alkalinity and low nutrients. I tend to note that factor in 90+% of "my sticks are bleaching" threads. It's a shame the lighting takes the blame for what should be a water quality issue.

100% agree with you, the lights are usually the first thing blamed for slow growth, when most likely as you stated its more then likely a nutrient issue. On my tank, phosphate around .03 and trates at 0, 120 w taotronic leds with only white and blue leds both cranked up at 100%, growth is same if not better then what it was with t5's (ran a 4 bulb system over a 55 gallon), never tried MH so cant compare there, but IMO the reason people say leds cant grow acros is becasue water issues and they mess with the led settings to much, instead of treating like a t5 and MH and setting it and forgetting it at your preferred kelvin range.

 

[jasonandsarah]

Jasonandsara, im curious as i know your usuing the radions as well and would like to know what you set yours at. Also what spectrum you chose.
Right now im using pros at 70% 18K setting my tank is 36in deep. I was getting nice coloration at 20K but i didnt feel i was getting the growth like everyone else does so im trying 18K. Ive had too much experience frying my corals under them or browning them out. so far at least theyre living and have color.

My lights are all on custom settings but I have them peak at 60%, with blue and deep blue at 100% and whites at 45%. Reds are on only during peak hours from 12-5:30 and peak at 30% with green the same but only peaks at 20%. My UV peaks at 80% and my tanks only 20" deep I believe? Standard 75g.
I also run 2 54w T5's but that's fairly new (3-4 months) and I wasn't getting gps growth and coloration before adding them. Just helps with shadowing of bigger colonies.
Sorry for the long discription but like I said custom settings and I tried to remember all that off the top of my head.
I wanna switch to wide angle lenses but I also have a shallower tank. (Compared to some people)

 

[007Bond]

Right now im using pros at 70% 18K setting my tank is 36in deep. I was getting nice coloration at 20K but i didnt feel i was getting the growth like everyone else does so im trying 18K. Ive had too much experience frying my corals under them or browning them out. so far at least theyre living and have color.[/QUOTE]

Hey Bklyreef,...do you know what par your getting with your pros at your sand bed...just curious how deep they are penetrating as my tank is 42" deep. Thanks,---Rick

 

[bklynreef]

I usually get about less than 100 par at the sand but you crank them out at full power at 12k ill get 150 at the sand. When I take par reading I dont shut my flow so these are the readings that way if I turn off flow im sure ill get much higher readings but those readings imho are a lie cause who doesnt have flow in their tanks. So beware par readings when people take them and post them.

 

[007Bond]

Thanks bklynreef!,...I was just curious...I'm guessing you would fry a lot of stuff the higher up you go from the bottom at full bore.---Rick

 

[bklynreef]

Been there dine that lol