Photon 48 Owners...

pdiehm · Jul 28, 2016

Curious as to how long you run the light and what intensity?

I currently have an SPS dominant tank, and the light is essentially on for about 10 hours, reaching a max of 100 channel 1 (blue) and 25 on channel 2 (white).

I've been reading that maybe I should run the light at the max intensity (100/25) for say 3 hours, and ramp up and down from that.

So say:

00:00 to 03:30 complete darkness
04:00 to 05:00 1 / 0
5:00 3/0
5:30 6/0
6:00 9/0
6:30 12/0
7:00 20/1 (whites come on, dim level, almost like first rays of sun)
7:30 30/1
8:00 40/3
8:30 50/5
9:00 60/7
9:30 70/10
10:00 80/20
10:30 90/23
11:00 - 14:30 - 100/25
15:00 90/23
15:30 80/20
16:00 70/10
16:30 60/7
1700: 50/5
17:30 40/3
1800 30/1
18:30 20/1
1900 12/0
1930 9/0
2000 6/0
2030 3/0
2100 - 23:30 1/0

Other information: Lights sit on top of a canopy about 12" over water, and about 36" to top of the sandbed.

thewbell · Jul 28, 2016

Here is the schedule I use. My lights are about 12" over the water on my 5' long 120 gallon and I am having good coral growth.

Time White light intensity Blue light intensity
8:00 0 0
8:30 4 6
9:00 8 12
9:30 11 17
10:00 15 23
10:30 18 27
11:00 21 32
11:30 24 36
12:00 26 39
12:30 28 42
13:00 29 43
13:30 30 45
14:00 30 45
14:30 30 45
15:00 29 43
15:30 28 42
16:00 26 39
16:30 24 36
17:00 21 32
17:30 18 27
18:00 15 23
18:30 11 17
19:00 8 12
19:30 4 6
20:00 0 0

Hour to start lights 8 AM
Max White Light Intensity 30
Max Blue Light Intensity 45

twistedfinn967 · Jul 28, 2016

If you go to Reef Breeders website, go to the FAQ, there is a link to a downloadable schedule where you plug in the time you want the lights to come on, intensities and it tells you the value to set your lights at.

thewbell · Jul 28, 2016

I should have mentioned but I used the ReefBreeders program to develop my schedule.

pdiehm · Jul 28, 2016

what corals do you have? My tank as mentioned is mostly sps (with some zoa's on the sand, and a favia in a corner)

twistedfinn967 · Jul 28, 2016

I would suggest heading to the Reef Breeders vendor forum either here or at RC and read what others have asked. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the information you will find.

pdiehm · Jul 28, 2016

twistedfinn967 said:
I would suggest heading to the Reef Breeders vendor forum either here or at RC and read what others have asked. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the information you will find.

I have and really haven't gotten any answers to my questions though.

thewbell · Jul 28, 2016

pdiehm said:
what corals do you have? My tank as mentioned is mostly sps (with some zoa's on the sand, and a favia in a corner)

I don't have that much as far as corals but I do have the following:

- a few zoas
- acan (off to the side)
-chalice (off to the side)
- several favias down low and on the sides
- birdsnest up high
- several acros/montis up high
- RBTA down low on one side
- torch (low center)
- frogspawn(Mid center)
- octospawn(mid center)
- Duncan (mid center)

Pretty much everything is frags right now except for the torch which has about 8 heads.