Fluval 3.0 bta ?

[leriel99]

Is a Fluval 3.0 Marine 22 watts enough for keeping bubble tip anemone ?

 

[Spare time]

What size tank (dimensions)

 

[leriel99]

I got fluval 13.5

 

[Spare time]

I got fluval 13.5

Ah yeah should be fine. Max out the blue and purple and you should be ok (though don't do that rapidly if you don't have it set like that already)

 

[Spare time]

3" (8 cm) 6" (15 cm) 12" (30 cm) 18” (46 cm)

370/ 15 000 181 / 6600 65 / 2400 31 / 1200

Here is the par for reference with all channels at 100%

Mine are very happy at around 120-150

 

[Cantusaurus]

Yes. It should be fine. Maybe the coloration won't be super super bright, but it'll most likely still do well. Some BTA's like a lot of light (usually the higher end ones).
But it really should be fine

 

[JoJosReef]

Same light, ~30% whites, I think. BTA really stretching for more light. The par on that light mostly comes from the whites. The blues/purple only contributed 20% of the par when I tested using Photone (not exact PAR, but still able to get proportional contribution). Calibrating from expected values, I was getting 50-75 PAR from blues/purple at 3".

I suggest adding an 18" ReefBrite bar on the Fluval 3.0. you can also get similar performance on a budget, albeit a bit less polished, from 21LEDusa ReefbarPro bars made near Dallas, TX. I have two of their 20" bars (Blue Heavy) as my primary lighting now and will get real par measurements soon (at minimum, 50% stronger than Marine 3.0 per bar). The blue heavy bars are actually 18.5" and fit perfectly on top of the Fluval Evo 13.5 if you go mesh top.

Good advice to be had from @vetteguy53081

Edit: if my budget weren't going toward CA preschools, I'd upgrade or supplement with Orphek bars or a full Reefbrite kit.

 

[Cantusaurus]

B

Same light, ~30% whites, I think. BTA really stretching for more light. The par on that light mostly comes from the whites. The blues/purple only contributed 20% of the par when I tested using Photone (not exact PAR, but still able to get proportional contribution). Calibrating from expected values, I was getting 50-75 PAR from blues/purple at 3".

I suggest adding an 18" ReefBrite bar on the Fluval 3.0. you can also get similar performance on a budget, albeit a bit less polished, from 21LEDusa ReefbarPro bars made near Dallas, TX. I have two of their 20" bars (Blue Heavy) as my primary lighting now and will get real par measurements soon (at minimum, 50% stronger than Marine 3.0 per bar). The blue heavy bars are actually 18.5" and fit perfectly on top of the Fluval Evo 13.5 if you go mesh top.

Good advice to be had from @vetteguy53081

Edit: if my budget weren't going toward CA preschools, I'd upgrade or supplement with Orphek bars or a full Reefbrite kit.

Bro... Are you serious... I have the Fluval 32.5 and I got a second light. But like bruh. The whites give the most Par. That's some BS.
I did hear that WWC uses less par but longer photoperiod. Like their Zoas will only get 80 par which is pretty crazy cuz a lot of those will most likely stretch up more.
So I mean lower PAR is not the only factor.
I am definitely going to run the whites a slightly higher for a couple hours the day though to get more PAR.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Likely not. . They depend on lighting to produce zooxanthellae which is their energy source for growth and color requiring at least 90wts lighting
Condylactus anemone however would be ok

 

[MaxTremors]

I’m going to guess not. It may keep it alive, but it won’t thrive under it. The light on that tank is just barely enough for soft corals and LPS, anemones need pretty substantial light.

 

[Spare time]

Same light, ~30% whites, I think. BTA really stretching for more light. The par on that light mostly comes from the whites. The blues/purple only contributed 20% of the par when I tested using Photone (not exact PAR, but still able to get proportional contribution). Calibrating from expected values, I was getting 50-75 PAR from blues/purple at 3".

I suggest adding an 18" ReefBrite bar on the Fluval 3.0. you can also get similar performance on a budget, albeit a bit less polished, from 21LEDusa ReefbarPro bars made near Dallas, TX. I have two of their 20" bars (Blue Heavy) as my primary lighting now and will get real par measurements soon (at minimum, 50% stronger than Marine 3.0 per bar). The blue heavy bars are actually 18.5" and fit perfectly on top of the Fluval Evo 13.5 if you go mesh top.

Good advice to be had from @vetteguy53081

Edit: if my budget weren't going toward CA preschools, I'd upgrade or supplement with Orphek bars or a full Reefbrite kit.

I am wondering how accurate that par reading is though

 

[JoJosReef]

B

Bro... Are you serious... I have the Fluval 32.5 and I got a second light. But like bruh. The whites give the most Par. That's some BS.
I did hear that WWC uses less par but longer photoperiod. Like their Zoas will only get 80 par which is pretty crazy cuz a lot of those will most likely stretch up more.
So I mean lower PAR is not the only factor.
I am definitely going to run the whites a slightly higher for a couple hours the day though to get more PAR.

Yes, I spent a lot of time defending this light. Here are my measurements:

PAR measured using Photone android app, not calibrated, open air, i e. these numbers are just relative units. Measured at 3" and 12" (top of water and sand bed).

Blue/CoolBlue/Purple/White/igoring red

% ~ 12" PAR ~ 3" PAR (uncalibrated Photone)
100/100/100/0 ~ 11 ~ 26
100/100/100/100 ~ 72 ~ 130
Ratio ~ 0.15 ~ 0.2

Absolutely inexact, but you see the outsized proportional contribution of whites in the total PAR output of this light.

I didn't get the feeling that my BTA was happy with this light by itself, but as I said, I had only been running whites around 30%, max 50% at any time with blues/purple at 100%.

In contrast, here are the concurrent numbers for my ReefbarPro Blue Heavy supplemental LED by itself:
% ~ 12" PAR ~ 3" PAR (uncalibrated Photone)
100/100 ~ 86 ~ 171

 

[JoJosReef]

I am wondering how accurate that par reading is though

It isn't. I haven't been able to get my hands on a proper PAR meter yet, but my aim wasn't to map PAR, but to get an idea of the relative contribution of the whites in the PAR output on the Marine 3.0 and to contrast it with the new supplemental bar I bought.

I don't know enough about the photosynthetically useable radiation range for anemones and how much they can get out of whites, but I concluded that the blue/purple output wasn't good enough to run the light on a blue heavy setting by itself.

Are you running it max like the stock light?

 

[JoJosReef]

On the pro side, I did love how the Marine 3.0 lit up the entire tank. Had beautiful color and a great app for a budget light.

Good little overview from Reefbuilders: https://reefbuilders.com/2021/12/22/fluval-think-small-with-15-marine-spectrum-led-light-bar/

 

[leriel99]

Likely not. . They depend on lighting to produce zooxanthellae which is their energy source for growth and color requiring at least 90wts lighting
Condylactus anemone however would be ok

90 w is not over kill in a 13 g tank is like 15 inches deep ?

 

[leriel99]

I’m going to guess not. It may keep it alive, but it won’t thrive under it. The light on that tank is just barely enough for soft corals and LPS, anemones need pretty substantial

I’m going to guess not. It may keep it alive, but it won’t thrive under it. The light on that tank is just barely enough for soft corals and LPS, anemones need pretty substantial light.

but you talking about stock light ? I’m talking about the marine 3.0 for my fluval 13.5

 

[MaxTremors]

Both the stock lighting and the Marine 3.0 are likely underpowered for BTAs. While the Marine 3.0 is definitely better than the stock light, they are both really just adequate for low light soft corals and LPS. I’m assuming you have the 32w version (unless they make a smaller one?), which on paper seems decent, but you’re not going to be running all channels at 100%. I n top of that, it’s using very low wattage LEDs (likely less than 0.25watts) which comparatively produce far less PAR per watt than larger 3 or 5 watt LEDs. 32 watts of even 0.5 watt LEDs is going to produce much less light than 30watts of high quality 3 watt LEDs (likely much less light than even 15watts of 3watt LEDs). Plus the light is spread out across the tank instead of concentrated into a single point. There are plenty of people here that have used these lights only to replace them because they were inadequate for more light demanding corals/anemones.

 

[vetteguy53081]

90 w is not over kill in a 13 g tank is like 15 inches deep ?

90wt , recommended- not for your tank, but in general. Most are controllable and adjustable. For your tank, ideal would be Kessil A160 or Ai Prime

 

[Uncle99]

See what he does.
If he stays low on the rockwork, lighting is sufficient.
If he travels upwards, it is not and needs upgrade.
Let him tell you.

 

[dedragon]

This is why i hate so many people pushing that fluval light, too little par levels. It might be enough but should either be exchanged for a smat farms, noopsyche, radion, kessil, etc or add on an orphek or reefbrite strip for par output and use the fluval to adjust the the spectrum to the color your eye seems to like. Happy holidays