Black Box 165 W adjustment after optics removed

[OrthoVet05]

Hey guys, I have a Chinese black box about 6 in above my water line in my mixed reef 57 gallon tank. I recently took off the optics and left 15 on in the center of the box to help distribute the light better. I was running my whites at about 15% and my blues at 40%. What should I increase them to after taking the optics off? I have no idea what my PAR is from this light and have a few SPS, monti cap, stylophora, birds nest and other softs and LPS. Thanks.

Picture after I put the light back on ( everyone closed up)

 

[Flippers4pups]

Hey guys, I have a Chinese black box about 6 in above my water line in my mixed reef 57 gallon tank. I recently took off the optics and left 15 on in the center of the box to help distribute the light better. I was running my whites at about 15% and my blues at 40%. What should I increase them to after taking the optics off? I have no idea what my PAR is from this light and have a few SPS, monti cap, stylophora, birds nest and other softs and LPS. Thanks.

Picture after I put the light back on ( everyone closed up)

You have just one fixture? You may need two. I pulled all my lenses on mine execpt just a few on my 20000k's. I have mine at 12" above water line.

Raise yours up to around 8-10" and increase your intensity.

A PAR meter may help you know where your at, but you could use a LUX meter and do the conversion. LUX meters are cheap compared to a PAR meter. It will get you close, but not exact. Close enough. Just cover the LUX meter sensor with a long, clear plastic bag to protect it from the water.

Here's a article on conversion:


https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2013/2/equipment

 

[OrthoVet05]

You have just one fixture? You may need two. I pulled all my lenses on mine execpt just a few on my 20000k's. I have mine at 12" above water line.

Raise yours up to around 8-10" and increase your intensity.

A PAR meter may help you know where your at, but you could use a LUX meter and do the conversion. LUX meters are cheap compared to a PAR meter. It will get you close, but not exact. Close enough. Just cover the LUX meter sensor with a long, clear plastic bag to protect it from the water.

Here's a article on conversion:


https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2013/2/equipment

So what would be the point of turning up the intensities AND raising it.... it seems like it would counteract ? Also... how much should I increase the intensity?

 

[Flippers4pups]

So what would be the point of turning up the intensities AND raising it.... it seems like it would counteract ? Also... how much should I increase the intensity?

Raising it up increases the light spread, better coverage. Increasing the intensity makes up for the loss in par because of raising the light fixture.

Bring up your whites to 20% and your blues to 60% and see if it helps.

 

[OrthoVet05]

Raising it up increases the light spread, better coverage. Increasing the intensity makes up for the loss in par because of raising the light fixture.

Bring up your whites to 20% and your blues to 60% and see if it helps.

Thanks man I really am trying to figure this out. My corals have been pale and really need to get this down.

 

[Ron Reefman]

If you don't have access to a PAR meter, you might try the Canary in a Coal Mine approach to getting maximum PAR levels.

Get a small frag of a red cap monti or any other inexpensive plating coral, and set it in your tank as high or higher than all the other corals. Start your acclimatization at a low number and raise it every week. You can raise it a bit faster early on, but get much more careful as you get up to higher power levels. When you raise the light intensity too high, the red cap will start to bleach before any other corals. At that point, dial the power back a bit (5% to 10%) and you should be good to go.

IMHO having run a number of BB leds in the past, I think your 15% and 40% intensities (and PAR) are probably well below what your corals would like.

 

[OrthoVet05]

If you don't have access to a PAR meter, you might try the Canary in a Coal Mine approach to getting maximum PAR levels.

Get a small frag of a red cap monti or any other inexpensive plating coral, and set it in your tank as high or higher than all the other corals. Start your acclimatization at a low number and raise it every week. You can raise it a bit faster early on, but get much more careful as you get up to higher power levels. When you raise the light intensity too high, the red cap will start to bleach before any other corals. At that point, dial the power back a bit (5% to 10%) and you should be good to go.

IMHO having run a number of BB leds in the past, I think your 15% and 40% intensities (and PAR) are probably well below what your corals would like.

I appreciate that and I definitely would think “hey I may Be On the lower end of par values” however hard for me to determine with the current set up and bleaching going on. I have a red monti cap that is pale and is at the bottom with my current set up.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

At 12 in for the water with optics
The max of most Black boxes is about 44,000 lux or 700 par or so.

So you may have burned the coral.

The removal of the optics is typically about 30-40%

IMO ime , a 18. -24 in deep tank set the lux at 25,000 - 35000 lux at the top of the water

Choose a color ratio you like , them set the intensity.

Devide ise the lux by 60 and 65 to get par.

 

[OrthoVet05]

At 12 in for the water with optics
The max of most Black boxes is about 44,000 lux or 700 par or so.

So you may have burned the coral.

The removal of the optics is typically about 30-40%

IMO ime , a 18. -24 in deep tank set the lux at 25,000 - 35000 lux at the top of the water

Choose a color ratio you like , them set the intensity.

Devide ise the lux by 60 and 65 to get par.

So I originally had it about 4 In from the waterline! So it was probably more.

 

[OrthoVet05]

I guess my question then should be related to OP... what is ideal intensity with this with light 8 in off waterline ? Or should I start low and ramp up seeing how my corals adjust?if they gain color with lower intensity.. should I acclimate them over 3-4 weeks?

 

[dbjonesjr]

Without any optics on the black box over my 40 I run at about 75 and 30 percent with it about 12-14” above the water. And my tank is mostly LPS so I’d say you definitely need to crank it up.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Or should I start low and ramp up seeing how my corals adjust?if they gain color with lower intensity.. should I acclimate them over 3-4 weeks?

Yes.
I’d start at 40- 50%

 

[OrthoVet05]

So 40-50% blues and half for whites or for both blues and whites.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

So 40-50% blues and half for whites or for both blues and whites.

Blues.
Then bring up the whites to where it looks good

 

[dantimdad]

@saltyfilmfolks and @Flippers4pups are dead on.

I would also consider a diffuser later on after you get dialed in. You can just raise the level about 12% to compensate for the loss but the spread and shadowing will improve dramatically.

 

[OrthoVet05]

How gradual should I increase lighting ?

 

[dantimdad]

If u add the diffuser? All at once to compensate for the loss

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

If u add the diffuser? All at once to compensate for the loss

If ya buy the $16 lux Meter you can match the numbers exactly.

If u add the diffuser? All at once to compensate for the loss

50-100 par , 3000-6000 lux a week or so
Or just a little at a time.

 

[dbjonesjr]

I think he means how gradually should he increase from where he currently is. Honestly I wouldn’t be too scared to turn them up but maybe just start with 5-10% a day and pay attention to how they are liking it towards the end of the light cycle.

 

[Backreefing]

At 12 in for the water with optics
The max of most Black boxes is about 44,000 lux or 700 par or so.

So you may have burned the coral.

The removal of the optics is typically about 30-40%

IMO ime , a 18. -24 in deep tank set the lux at 25,000 - 35000 lux at the top of the water

Choose a color ratio you like , them set the intensity.

Devide ise the lux by 60 and 65 to get par.

Thx for your reply this lux rateing is exactly what my chepo lux meter said 44500 lux
But I had no idea it equals 700 PAR ! I just dimmed the whites one notch to a lux of 26500 . My softies are Hateing the light they are shrinking and common red mushrooms have turned neon green . I also have clear glass on the aquarium I don’t think it takes away much power as I keep it clean . I keep the light 6-7” off the glass .
And to think I was close to getting more led Lights to supplement the black box .