Light Levels for vintage RapidLED Onyx lights on current Mixed Reef system

jdthome

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I have a build about the tank I am in the process of bringing online. The TLDR version is I slowly bought equipment onver 2 years to set up a 120 gallon mixed reef. Those items have then sat new in box inside a dry aquarium for 12 years.

Setting the system up and put 3 RapidLED Onyx lights along with 4 undimmable AliExpress light bars a friend at work gave me. Here is what the light system looks like.

PXL_20240204_020115664.jpg

PXL_20240127_222437996.MP.jpg


I have an Apex VDM to control the RapidLED units. They consist of 3 channels broken out as follows:

Channel 1 - 42 CREE XT-E Royal Blue LED
Channel 2 - 24 CREE XP-G Cool White
Channel 3 - 12 Violet UV 3 CREE XP-E Green and 3 OLSON 660nm RED LED

The Blue/UV AliExpress bars are just on and off via an Apex outlet.

It's only an assumption and It's likely a poor one, so that is why I am creating this message. With the number of different LEDs on these fixtures, it should balance out so all 3 channels are equal ????????? IE run all channels at 50% or some other number.

I have a par meter that was purchased from Amazon to spot check the levels as both my brother and my son are all setting up tanks at the same time. Here are the readings for the tank with water and all lights at 100%

Tank 100% par readings.jpg


I think these numbers are fairly high. So I will need to lower the max output to something lower. Here is a general initial plan for stocking but its only thoughts at the moment. it may change as corals are added.

Full tank shot Possible coral positioning.jpg


Any thoughts or help?
 

Looking for the spotlight: Do your fish notice the lighting in your reef tank?

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