Opinion on lights?

BaileyB · Oct 26, 2019

So I’ve had my 20g tall set up running for almost a year now, although corals have only been in there for about 2 months, recently got some earlier this week. Although I haven’t seen much growth out of everything. Goniopora, 5 types of zoas, GSP, trumpet, mushrooms, and recently an anemone. Everything stays open all day looking happy, just not much growth.

I have a Current USA Orbit LED ic light and it has been on there since day 1 of the tank, although I have another, do you suggest I run 2 of them? Will the extra light increase the growth on the corals or can they only take in so much light a day?

I know current USA LEDs aren’t the best compared to other LEDs but I’ve seen videos of others using them with lots of success. I’m not interested in getting any other lights, for a while at least.

Running my blues 100% whites 10% day time 2% moon light green and red 0% 10am to 8pm on a timer

BaileyB · Oct 26, 2019

Also could adding the second light hurt the coral with too much light?

ndrwater · Oct 26, 2019

Intensity is a factor when keeping corals regardless of the brand of lights being used.
If adding a new light, I would definitely drop the intensity as to not burn the corals. As an example, if adding a second light, drop the intensity by 50% and then slowly acclimate to a higher intensity over a period of weeks if not longer.
All hours is potentially fine, but fish coloration is sacrificed. Yellow tangs look gray or blue under all blues.
Whatever you decide, do it slowly

BaileyB · Oct 26, 2019

ndrwater said:
Intensity is a factor when keeping corals regardless of the brand of lights being used.
If adding a new light, I would definitely drop the intensity as to not burn the corals. As an example, if adding a second light, drop the intensity by 50% and then slowly acclimate to a higher intensity over a period of weeks if not longer.
All hours is potentially fine, but fish coloration is sacrificed. Yellow tangs look gray or blue under all blues.
Whatever you decide, do it slowly

Thanks for the reply, I didn’t think of that but definitely will take it slow! When you say 50% intensity, do you mean lower both lights down to 50% or run one at 50% and the other at 100%?

BeejReef · Oct 28, 2019

two months is a blink of an eye. figure they spent a month getting acclimated to their new home and a month growing.
Even watching the crazy complicated growth experiments on BRS where they're running $15k in lights over systems running custom levels of elevated this and that, they're reporting like 8%-22% growth in frags over the course of several months in some of the better cases. You usually have to stare at the before and after photos to notice the difference.

If you have a second light.. go for it. I'd do as the above posters have mentioned and take it easy... put them both at 50% and ramp up over the course of weeks. Renting a par meter is the only way you'll know if you're putting out enough light.

FWIW, your lights seem to be mounted quite close to the water. I'd suspect you're not getting great light on the sides and corners. How crusty does that plastic top get from salt stains? If you want more light, a mesh top might help.