Do I have enough lighting?

PKibsyo · Jul 30, 2014

I've got a 50 gallon with a 48-60" (Mfg# 4103) 46.8" x 3.5" x 0.44" high 46 96 Dual Daylight/96 Dual Actinic LEDs, 192 LEDs Total
And also have a 48" T5 HO two bulbs one white light and the other actinic. Some of my corals are doing great while others not so much. I have a toadstool that looks awesome and on the other hand a hammer that looks like it's slowly shriveling. The tanks been going for about five months now. All water parameters are on point. Am I using to much lighting? Every time I put my led light on full the hammer seems to shrivel a little more. But if I turn it down the rest of the corals look like crap too. What am I doing wrong here?

trido · Jul 30, 2014

[h=1]Current USA Orbit Marine LED Saltwater Reef Lighting System[/h]

You might get a better response if you tell people you have this light.................

Over a 50 gallon, along with T-5's that probably is too much light with the LED's turned up very much. If your LPS are shriveling up when you turn the lights up thats a pretty good sign you are on the right track. You just need to find the happy medium and all of your corals will eventually acclimate to the level you have it set at.

Daniel@R2R · Jul 31, 2014

bump for more details or recommendations

Reefing Madness · Jul 31, 2014

I believe your not running enough light. Those 192 LED units are only like .5 watt LEDs each with no focusing optics, which isn't even close to the lighting you need. I'd only go minimal of 1w LEDs on a tank or run a 4 lamp minimum T5 HO fixture.

Eckolancer · Jul 31, 2014

I agree you need more light. I would say get about 40-60 3watt leds no optics if hung close to water level. If hung high get optics that focus the light into the tank.