Orphek Lights

[Nate5154]

Does anyone use or have used the orphek light bars? I’m a beginner to reefing and have 2 reef day plus and 1 blue plus in the middle but it seems like i can’t get a single coral to stay alive for the past few months. I’m debating switching to something like a red sea or something that might just be easier but i’m not sure.

 

[X-37B]

It's not the lights.
What size is the tank and bars used?

 

[Utubereefer]

Does anyone use or have used the orphek light bars? I’m a beginner to reefing and have 2 reef day plus and 1 blue plus in the middle but it seems like i can’t get a single coral to stay alive for the past few months. I’m debating switching to something like a red sea or something that might just be easier but i’m not sure.

I use them as supplementary lighting in combination with Radion gen4s. I’ve seen successful tanks with just light bars. They are usually covering the entire footprint of the tank. What are the dimensions of your tank? How far off the water are they?

 

[Nate5154]

Does anyone use or have used the orphek light bars? I’m a beginner to reefing and have 2 reef day plus and 1 blue plus in the middle but it seems like i can’t get a single coral to stay alive for the past few months. I’m debating switching to something like a red sea or something that might just be easier but i’m not sure.

I use them as supplementary lighting in combination with Radion gen4s. I’ve seen successful tanks with just light bars. They are usually covering the entire footprint of the tank. What are the dimensions of your tank? How far off the water are they?

my tank is a nano 15 x 15 cube so I have the smallest lights, they are around 8 inches off the water which is the highest i can put them. I do like the look they give as they are more natural looks, but controlling them to get the right amount of light is tough it seems like

 

[Utubereefer]

Lighting might not be your issue. Got pictures of the tank? What are your parameters?

 

[X-37B]

my tank is a nano 15 x 15 cube so I have the smallest lights, they are around 8 inches off the water which is the highest i can put them. I do like the look they give as they are more natural looks, but controlling them to get the right amount of light is tough it seems like

The smallest Orpkek light bars are 24".
Your using 24" light bars on a 15" tabk?

 

[twentyleagues]

At only 8" off the water this could be an issue. Orphek bars have a pretty tight lens angle and typically need some space between them and the water to blend and spread properly.

 

[Nate5154]

my tank is a nano 15 x 15 cube so I have the smallest lights, they are around 8 inches off the water which is the highest i can put them. I do like the look they give as they are more natural looks, but controlling them to get the right amount of light is tough it seems like

The smallest Orpkek light bars are 24".
Your using 24" light bars on a 15" tabk?

I’m using the 12 inch light bars the vr4 30 model

 

[X-37B]

At only 8" off the water this could be an issue. Orphek bars have a pretty tight lens angle and typically need some space between them and the water to blend and spread properly.

You get a nice blending at 14"

I’m using the 12 inch light bars the vr4 30 model

Ok must be new never heard of it.
I will take a look.

 

[Nate5154]

Lighting might not be your issue. Got pictures of the tank? What are your parameters?

This is the tank and the parameters are
0.1 phosphate
1290 magnesium
400 calcium
7 Alk
8.2 pH
0 nitrates

I have noticed on some of the rocks they are like darker green than the other parts, maybe the light is a lot stronger in some areas?

 

[Nate5154]

At only 8" off the water this could be an issue. Orphek bars have a pretty tight lens angle and typically need some space between them and the water to blend and spread properly.

You get a nice blending at 14"

I’m using the 12 inch light bars the vr4 30 model

Ok must be new never heard of it.
I will take a look.

Should i maybe try one of their mounts that goes up higher?

 

[vandy]

Have you checked your par?

 

[X-37B]

Should i maybe try one of their mounts that goes up higher?

Those are cool nano lights!
What height do they recommend?
I run mine 12-14" off the surface
8" may not be high enough up for proper blending.

 

[twentyleagues]

You can see the individual light colors on the rocks and sand like laser beams. Could be not hitting the corals correctly. Also your nutrients are very low. I think we would need to see progress pics of the corals dying but possibly both lighting and nutrients. Maybe a hanging kit to get them higher off the water?

 

[Nate5154]

Should i maybe try one of their mounts that goes up higher?

Those are cool nano lights!
What height do they recommend?
I run mine 12-14" off the surface
8" may not be high enough up for proper blending.

I can’t find anything on what the recommended height is but i think it would be good to try higher probably, do you think it’s duable to grow coral with 2 reef days and a blue plus? I’m just wondering if it might be the mix of different lights i have.

 

[twentyleagues]

I can’t find anything on what the recommended height is but i think it would be good to try higher probably, do you think it’s duable to grow coral with 2 reef days and a blue plus? I’m just wondering if it might be the mix of different lights i have.

mix should be fine.

 

[Oldreefer44]

What corals do you have? Which ones have you lost and what are you using for flow?

 

[bobnicaragua]

You orpheks should be higher and nitrates should be at least detectable.

It’s hard to see from your pics, but I don’t see any coraline algae. How old is the tank?

 

[Nate5154]

What corals do you have? Which ones have you lost and what are you using for flow?

I use a jebao SLW-5 for flow
I originally had a simple toadstool that lasted like a month than randomly died, then i changed all my light settings for a while to get good par for a good lps and sps tank, so i got a birds nest and a montipora, and tried to acclimate both for 10 days slowly ramping up the light but they both died during the acclimating, and now im on a leptoseris and also am slowly acclimating light and i’m about half way through and some of the tissue is just gone, not sure if crabs ate it because i saw some around it, but it’s slowly fading in color too.

 

[X-37B]

It appears in your pic I can see individual colors on the sandbed
This is from being to close to the surface Raise them to 12-14" and observe effect.
you can also spread them apart to cover the tank better.