Just added the first coral - Lighting question

[Orddie]

As a family, we struggle with solid blue lighting.

We bought into the Red Sea AIO system, which came with two RL 115s. The default programs seem to make it all blue, all the time.

any possible way we can add some white to the mix so that we can actually look at the tank and enjoy it?

Corals we added are

• Seriatopora
• Duncan

tank is a reefer 250 g3

 

[MegabiteOG]

Those light I really nice/ easy to program and change spectrum. Go into the settings and just move the color to a lower Kelvin. You don't have to change the intensity. 14K to 18K looked nice when i had those lights.

Picture below is just for reference.

 

[Orddie]

Here is what our program looks like currently. As I understand your post, change the color to a higher K value, and we are good. However, will that impact the coral growth? I was reading in other areas we need up to 400 PAR, which I think is around 40% intensity for these lights and the size tank we have.

 

[dwest]

If you want less blue, lower the color K value.

6500K very white
10,000K may be just about right.

 

[MegabiteOG]

Here is what our program looks like currently. As I understand your post, change the color to a higher K value, and we are good. However, will that impact the coral growth? I was reading in other areas we need up to 400 PAR, which I think is around 40% intensity for these lights and the size tank we have.

Lower Kelvin = whiter light. Spectrum does play on role on coral growth but pay most attention to par. If you don't have a par meter, be conservative with intensity and keep an eye on how your corals react as or if you intensify the lights. I think that you're pretty safe at just 40% to start with the corals you currently have. If the tank is pretty new, the whiter spectrum can promote algae growth. If you see this, lower the whiter spectrum and intensity a bit as the tank matures.

How old is the tank?

 

[Orddie]

Lower Kelvin = whiter light. Spectrum does play on role on coral growth but pay most attention to par. If you don't have a par meter, be conservative with intensity and keep an eye on how your corals react as or if you intensify the lights. I think that you're pretty safe at just 40% to start with the corals you currently have. If the tank is pretty new, the whiter spectrum can promote algae growth. If you see this, lower the whiter spectrum and intensity a bit as the tank matures.

How old is the tank?

30 days old.

OK, will play around with the K values until we get something a little more... better for our eyes. I was just concerned that going away from solid blue would kill the coral's settling-in period and possible growth.

Can you give more info to PAR and how I see it on the Red Reef app? Is that intensity? If so, thinking I should not exceed 40%.

 

[MegabiteOG]

30 days old.

OK, will play around with the K values until we get something a little more... better for our eyes. I was just concerned that going away from solid blue would kill the coral's settling-in period and possible growth.

Can you give more info to PAR and how I see it on the Red Reef app? Is that intensity? If so, thinking I should not exceed 40%.

I'm sure Red Sea has a par chart somewhere to look at. I'd only use it for some guidance. If you really need to know your par reading in you tank, you will need to buy or rent a pay meter.

 

[Orddie]

I thought I had... is their an issue with leaving the lights on for a prolonged period of time?

Thinking more white focused during the day and more blue at night when no one is around?

9 AM - 8 PM - more white
8 PM - 9 AM - more blue.

Not sure where the moon phase comes in and the benefits of it. Not many vids/posts cover it.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

If corals are in the tank, then corals need primarily blue to survive and thrive. This is a good article that explains what benefits the different colors provide to corals. White is all colors, so a little of everything therefore not much benefit to corals. White is more for our viewing pleasure, so fix the whites as you wish, but regardless the blue should still be way up if you have corals. The moon phase is more or less for our viewing pleasure, but some folks feel the moonlight cycle (full moon to half to empty and back to full) helps promote coral spawning.

https://reefs.com/magazine/light-marine-aquarium/

 

[Orddie]

If corals are in the tank, then corals need primarily blue to survive and thrive. This is a good article that explains what benefits the different colors provide to corals. White is all colors, so a little of everything therefore not much benefit to corals. White is more for our viewing pleasure, so fix the whites as you wish, but regardless the blue should still be way up if you have corals. The moon phase is more or less for our viewing pleasure, but some folks feel the moonlight cycle (full moon to half to empty and back to full) helps promote coral spawning.

https://reefs.com/magazine/light-marine-aquarium/

OK. so dont even turn off the lights?

The built-in settings in Red Sea's app do have them off overnight. The tank is in a spot where its OK to leave them on all the time.

 

[Reefering1]

OK. so dont even turn off the lights?

The built-in settings in Red Sea's app do have them off overnight. The tank is in a spot where its OK to leave them on all the time.

You shouldn't run the lights 24 hours a day.. when In doubt, try to mimic nature. These are animals in that tank.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

OK. so dont even turn off the lights?

The built-in settings in Red Sea's app do have them off overnight. The tank is in a spot where its OK to leave them on all the time.

Personally I run my lights 12 hours per day, they they are turned off. I've never been tempted to use the moonlight

 

[Orddie]

I’m continuing to read and understand the lighting…


Here are some screenshots of the type of coral we have.

I’m thinking the lighting settings we had weee off and I have since updated them to “max” blue…

Thoughts?

Par for my nights

Coral

Coral

Coral

Current light settings based on above

 

[Orddie]

ttt

 

[annihil8ted]

This could be a personal experience thing but I find myself adding a little bit white amongst full blue spectrums and it greatly reduces the strain on my eyes while gaining the full benefit of the blue spectrums

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Do not base your par on the manufacturer, I've never found them to be even close to accurate. Would suggest to either rent a par meter, or else copy the settings from someone that has the same tank and same lights

 

[BryanM]

Yeah, I made the mistake of using someone elses programming for my lights, then had several things bleach, then checked par... Par was nearly 200 on the sand. Oops.

I do use moonlight, no ill affects that I can tell, and it makes the wife happy that she can see things at night.