Led lighting and the reef tank

[Timothy Butler]

I recently changed from metal halide to led 2 25,000 lums lights and a wifi timer from Fluvial. They are reef and marine lights with all spectrum of light including atintic. My problem is that the bottom corals seem to have to much light. The controller ramps up and down by the power in percentage. Running the same time as the metal halide 8 hours of light at 80℅ during the day and 10℅ at the atintic night. The stoney corals love it. The VB bottom corals are reacting adversely. Got original time and power percent from my coral provider. It was not able to provide proper light for the bottom corals. So I contacted Fluvial they are not helping at all. So I'm trying different percentages during day but I don't want to not provide not enough light to the stoney corals. Does anyone know or use these type of lights? If so what are your percent of day light to make all the corals happy? I'm use to the halide on and off with everyone happy. Still feed on the same schedule. The only difference is the new lights I cannot find a calculation for lumes per gallon on the web. I'm use to 3-5 watts per gallon. Oh yea it's a 75 gallon tank with a fefuseum filtration with protein skimmer and a calcium reactor. Any idea are much appreciated!

 

[Flippers4pups]

How far from the water surface is the light? LED's are more focused beams of light than MH and have less spread/blending. They can penetrate deeper into the tank and not look that bright to the eye.

 

[Timothy Butler]

They are have mounts to sit on the rim of the tank about 3 inches off water. So you are suggesting lowering the power of the lights or hang above the tank? I cannot hang but could build a canopy to put them in? How high off the water should they be? Or Continue to lower power of the lights? Thank for your help!

 

[melypr1985]

I moved this so you would get better views and responses

 

[Timothy Butler]

I moved this so you would get better views and responses

 

[Timothy Butler]

Thanks new to this usually have fellow reef tank friends but I am the only one using led. Trying out sounds like a good place to find information. I been in the reef tank for about ten years.

 

[melypr1985]

Thanks new to this usually have fellow reef tank friends but I am the only one using led. Trying out sounds like a good place to find information. I been in the reef tank for about ten years.

Hey no problem! It's what we are here for... helping navigate the forums and helping get you answers. I can help you one more time as well and get some more knowledgeable people on the hook. #reefsquad


Oh! Welcome to R2R as well!

 

[Timothy Butler]

Hey no problem! It's what we are here for... helping navigate the forums and helping get you answers. I can help you one more time as well and get some more knowledgeable people on the hook. #reefsquad


Oh! Welcome to R2R as well!

Is this a safe and friendly site?

 

[melypr1985]

Is this a safe and friendly site?

Absolutely! None better..... we foster a very family friendly site and a great community of reefers who actually care about each other and helping. I hope you enjoy it!

 

[Flippers4pups]

You came to the right place! Welcome to Reef2reef!
There are a large number of highly experienced reefers here to help and some highly regarded experts in the hobby here, thus the call for the #reefsquad. They can help.

I don't have your fixture, but if you turn your intensity down slowly over time, you may see a improvement. If that doesn't help, raising the fixture may be needed.

And yes, we are all friendly.

 

[Timothy Butler]

You came to the right place! Welcome to Reef2reef!
There are a large number of highly experienced reefers here to help and some highly regarded experts in the hobby here, thus the call for the #reefsquad. They can help.

I don't have your fixture, but if you turn your intensity down slowly over time, you may see a improvement. If that doesn't help, raising the fixture may be needed.

And yes, we are all friendly.

Thanks been going down in percentage of power slowly just don't want to get below too far and have a whole tank problem. Thanks for your help!

 

[Flippers4pups]

Just keep a close eye on them everyday while you do this.

As side from the light, what's your water parameters?

 

[Timothy Butler]

No nitrate or phosphate 400 calcium use 8.4 for pH protein skimmer calcium reactor water change 20℅ ever other week have a good copepods colonies feed corals twice a week great clean up crew. Never have water problems except for minor adjustments for calcium and magnesium use additives to get to normal that is rare. Only two clown fish with enemies.

 

[Timothy Butler]

No nitrate or phosphate 400 calcium use 8.4 for pH protein skimmer calcium reactor water change 20℅ ever other week have a good copepods colonies feed corals twice a week great clean up crew. Never have water problems except for minor adjustments for calcium and magnesium use additives to get to normal that is rare. Only two clown fish with enemies.

Salinity is 24

 

[Flippers4pups]

Looks good, what's your alkalinity at?

 

[jsker]

I have my lights 12" off the water, you might consider going up to 18" depending on the brand of light:)

 

[john.m.cole3]

Corals can handle much lower light levels than we think. They are also very sensitive to being over lit. It's hard to give you percentage of whites recommendation for example, because we need to know how strong your lights are.

Do you have a light meter? Most popular are LUX and PAR meters. I use a LUX meter because it is cheaper and it suits my needs/ The one I lime is about $16 from amazon https://www.amazon.com/HDE-LX-1010B...UTF8&qid=1482592511&sr=8-7&keywords=lux+meter. You can also download a free LUX meter on your smartphone that uses your camera to read the light intensity. Honestly, the app didn't work too great for me. So I splurged and got the LUX meter. I use it any time I adjust the intensity of my lights, move my tank, or place new corals.

Our guy @saltyfilmfolks works with lights and LUX meters for a living. Also, it wouldn't be a lighting thread without @mcarroll . Good luck and Merry Christmas!

 

[Timothy Butler]

Runs 7 to 8 try and keep it natural usually is good from water change to water change and all other parameters are within acceptable range. I water change more often than my friends. It seems good I have a much healthier tank than they do. Add phytoplankton to

Corals can handle much lower light levels than we think. They are also very sensitive to being over lit. It's hard to give you percentage of whites recommendation for example, because we need to know how strong your lights are.

Do you have a light meter? Most popular are LUX and PAR meters. I use a LUX meter because it is cheaper and it suits my needs/ The one I lime is about $16 from amazon https://www.amazon.com/HDE-LX-1010B...UTF8&qid=1482592511&sr=8-7&keywords=lux+meter. You can also download a free LUX meter on your smartphone that uses your camera to read the light intensity. Honestly, the app didn't work too great for me. So I splurged and got the LUX meter. I use it any time I adjust the intensity of my lights, move my tank, or place new corals. Yes I have heard about both types of meters. I went to the websites you linked. Going to buy a lux meter. I think the dealer over sold me to much of a lighting system. Yesterday I ran them at 60℅ of power and everything looked good. that's 50,000 k at full power. Someone said the light of a led penetrates deep into the tank. Unlike metal halide light which I am use to,is this fact or a theory? How long is your daylight? How long do you run the atintic light before day and night? I go one hour before adding the daylight to the tank and run one hour after sunset at night. Is this wrong? I have a 75 gallon tank with a fefuseum filtration and both a protein skimmer and a calcium reactor.Thanks for all your advice!
Merry Christmas!!!

Our guy @saltyfilmfolks works with lights and LUX meters for a living. Also, it wouldn't be a lighting thread without @mcarroll . Good luck and Merry Christmas!

Went to the coral dealer they are also saying probably to much light. Y

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Runs 7 to 8 try and keep it natural usually is good from water change to water change and all other parameters are within acceptable range. I water change more often than my friends. It seems good I have a much healthier tank than they do. Add phytoplankton to

Went to the coral dealer they are also saying probably to much light. Y

what wattage MH were you running and what fixture?
do you have a link to the new fixture?

 

[ironman20725]

So what are the numbers on a lux meter. That I should have?