Sps Dominant reefer 525xl

Griff · Sep 18, 2016

I recently purchased a mix of 50 Acros/milli's. I've used the below lighting schedule on my smaller tank with AI primes for about 3 years. With limited success. I did get growth but it was slow. The old tank has since been converted to an observation tank.

The new tank is a reefer 525xl with 3 AI Hydra 26 HD's. I'm currently using the same schedule but am concerned it's not enough light for the Acros/milli's.

My questions are do I need to turn up the power? Do I need another light? Do I need to change the spectrum/schedule?

Light is apprx 12 inches above water. Tank is 60x24x24

david p. · Sep 18, 2016

i would recommend to get a PAR meter or lux meter to get real data for your system. Eye is not a good tool to guess specially with LED.

hotnickz07 · Sep 18, 2016

This was my most successful schedule i used in when i had hydras. Your schedule looks good as well. Dont think for a minute you are not putting down enough light. Leds will fry your corals if you are not carefull. The minute you see corals stressed, ei bleaching, no p.e rtn/stn.. you should crank your lights down. Less is better in my opinion, and work your way up very slowly. About 3 to 5% every 2 weeks is good. If you decide to use my graph , use coral acclimmation mode, and start it with 55 to 60 percent reduction. Good luck

hotnickz07 · Sep 18, 2016

Also , i would get a 4th unit if it was my tank. More coverage is the key for great led tanks :)

Griff · Sep 18, 2016

hotnickz07 said:
Also , i would get a 4th unit if it was my tank. More coverage is the key for great led tanks :)

I'd like to do another as well but can't spend the money right now

If you look at the scape its 3 islands with a light above each. So as much as I want the 4th light I think I'm ok for now. Do you agree/ see my logic?

Griff · Sep 18, 2016

hotnickz07 said:
This was my most successful schedule i used in when i had hydras. Your schedule looks good as well. Dont think for a minute you are not putting down enough light. Leds will fry your corals if you are not carefull. The minute you see corals stressed, ei bleaching, no p.e rtn/stn.. you should crank your lights down. Less is better in my opinion, and work your way up very slowly. About 3 to 5% every 2 weeks is good. If you decide to use my graph , use coral acclimmation mode, and start it with 55 to 60 percent reduction. Good luck

The hard part is they are a little bleached from shipping stress already. Based on what your percentages are I think I'm ok as my highest spectrum is only at 60%. Think I'm ok to leave it as it then raise each one 5% every two weeks until I see bleaching then move down 5% when that happens?

The frags were under metal halides before I got them.

hotnickz07 · Sep 18, 2016

Griff said:
The hard part is they are a little bleached from shipping stress already. Based on what your percentages are I think I'm ok as my highest spectrum is only at 60%. Think I'm ok to leave it as it then raise each one 5% every two weeks until I see bleaching then move down 5% when that happens?

The frags were under metal halides before I got them.

If they are a little bleached/stressed from the shipping i would lower lights about 10% for about 1 week. Also MH does put a lot of light, but led are different. A 200 watt mh is not not same as 200 w led unit. Hence why people get par readers, to get the actual par they are getting for the leds. Trust me i fried so many sps with the hydras it wasnt even funny. Take it veryyyy slow.