Viparspectra 165watt, Anyone using these?

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Nicholas Dushynsky

Nicholas Dushynsky

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Hi all I'm just looking to ask if people have changed their settings on the lights since @icejam has posted the par readings, if so what did people settle on and has any changes been noticed.
I have got mine at 35 blue and 3 white currently (as of today) I have had it at 50blue and 5 white but I I have found my torch corals dont open as much. I'm going to try these for a further 2 months and see if theres any noticable changes.
 

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Hello my viparspectra friends!

I’ve been following this thread for a while now ever since I picked up my viperspectra lights back in May lol. Was a long build process. Glad I stumbled across this again!

Nicholas the growth I seen from your pictures was the tipping point that convinced me to buy them. You’re doing something right over there!

I’m running two 165w units over my 90 gallon at 15% blue and 1% white. I just picked up my first corals less than a week ago and I’m afraid to bleach them out. They seem to be doing fine but I’m here for some confidence to crank them up a little and get some better results. I need to go back and re read through this thread because I’m behind on it. Glad to be here and hope to learn something!


Mike
 

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Hi all I'm just looking to ask if people have changed their settings on the lights since @icejam has posted the par readings, if so what did people settle on and has any changes been noticed.
I have got mine at 35 blue and 3 white currently (as of today) I have had it at 50blue and 5 white but I I have found my torch corals dont open as much. I'm going to try these for a further 2 months and see if theres any noticable changes.

I actually cranked mine up 5% on the blue channel on Friday, from 45 to 50. Whites are still at 18%. Some of my SPS in the lower 2/3 were starting to brown out (I have been feeding the tank heavier, N is still undetectable and P is 20ppb via Hanna ULR). This, per icejam’s table, should put my Oregon Tort and Joe the Coral at something like 550-600 par, but I’m not showing any bleaching if that is the case. I still have SPS growing on the bottom of the tank. Standard 180 with lights 14” off the water. I’ll reevaluate in a few days and probably crank it up again.
 
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Nicholas Dushynsky

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I actually cranked mine up 5% on the blue channel on Friday, from 45 to 50. Whites are still at 18%. Some of my SPS in the lower 2/3 were starting to brown out (I have been feeding the tank heavier, N is still undetectable and P is 20ppb via Hanna ULR). This, per icejam’s table, should put my Oregon Tort and Joe the Coral at something like 550-600 par, but I’m not showing any bleaching if that is the case. I still have SPS growing on the bottom of the tank. Standard 180 with lights 14” off the water. I’ll reevaluate in a few days and probably crank it up again.
Sounds like a good plan, but I'd not jump to raise them too quickly if colours are still good. My light is only 9 inches off the water and the sand is only 24inches away from that. At 50/5 it works out around 400-450 par and my lps at the top dont look happy, yes they open just not as much as they did when they were lower down so now at 35/3 it should be around 350, which is still probably too much! These lights are powerful and if I had them mounted alot higher then I would run them higher. A quick question, does anyone know if gold/yellow hammers require more or less par than the standard green? Or around the same. The vibrancy of the yellow went years ago, I'm hopi g it can come back.
 
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Hello my viparspectra friends!

I’ve been following this thread for a while now ever since I picked up my viperspectra lights back in May lol. Was a long build process. Glad I stumbled across this again!

Nicholas the growth I seen from your pictures was the tipping point that convinced me to buy them. You’re doing something right over there!

I’m running two 165w units over my 90 gallon at 15% blue and 1% white. I just picked up my first corals less than a week ago and I’m afraid to bleach them out. They seem to be doing fine but I’m here for some confidence to crank them up a little and get some better results. I need to go back and re read through this thread because I’m behind on it. Glad to be here and hope to learn something!


Mike
Hi, I think if you look on page 12 there is a chart that @icejam had done it will give you a ball park figure to set at. Bear in mind the lights are close to the water and the readings are from the bottom I believe.
 

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Mines now running with NO lenses at all, much better blending and less shadowing, because of this ive had to increase the intensity - I have also installed a reef-pi setup inside the light fixture itself so mine now is controllable and dims.

Acros are currently getting 300 Par in the tank on 100% blue and 25% white - just about ideal for me :)

IMG_20190524_114028.jpg IMG_20190524_124635.jpg
how did you go about doing that? is it possible to link 3 lights to 1 reef-pi?
 

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Hey guys,

I’m still running these 15% blue 1% white. I’m getting decent growth on my zoas. I have a few other corals also but they haven’t been in long enough to record any growth. My question is:

If I’m noticing results is it wise to start ramping up? Seems like there’s such a fine line from where coral is thriving and where they are not so happy. Is it a ramp up until I notice negative results, then back down kind of process? Or is it wise to practice the old “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”? Here’s a picture of my zoanthids 19 days of growth...
671F80B6-79F2-43B7-A784-F04B632367D5.jpeg


Here’s a picture of my yellow tip Acro that’s only been in my tank for 5 days. Polyp extension has improved the last few days but way too soon to expect any growth...
1B65234F-262A-432C-A9FE-2B8E6DC7CA86.jpeg


I’m going to try and get on the list to use the PAR meter available by my local club but not sure when that’s going to be.


Mike
 
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That's fast growth on your zoas. Zoas dont require that much light from what I understand, I can't comment on the acro as I have never kept 1 in any of my tanks so I'm not sure. Just dont fall into the trap of low nitrates and phosphates and risk losing the acro. I believe it's just a balance of neutrients, flow and lighting. Just dont ramp the light too high too fast if you do adjust it.
I'm sure someone else here cam give you a better answer. Welcome to the vipar club ;)
 

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Hey all! I just found this thread and I’m low Key excited lol.

I have had my viparspectra fora couple months now and I worked the intensity up to 60% blue and 15% white, the lights sit 11” above water level and my tank is a 75g long not sure the height dimensions and I’m too lazy to look it up but my guesstimate is around 18-20 inches? I have had incredible growth So far. I need to get my par readings done but so far I can’t complain.
 

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That's fast growth on your zoas. Zoas dont require that much light from what I understand, I can't comment on the acro as I have never kept 1 in any of my tanks so I'm not sure. Just dont fall into the trap of low nitrates and phosphates and risk losing the acro. I believe it's just a balance of neutrients, flow and lighting. Just dont ramp the light too high too fast if you do adjust it.
I'm sure someone else here cam give you a better answer. Welcome to the vipar club ;)

Isn't it so acros need a bit of phos/nitrates to do well? I'm not doing myself any favors trying to use API to test. Both phos/nitrates are undetectable. Any advice on a better test kit to measure?

Where did you start with your intensity levels ? I see you increased intensity to 65blue 20white over the period of 6 months or so in the beginning. Were you using strictly trial and error? I'm not too familiar with what signs to look for and afraid to do any damage too quick....even at a slow ramp up rate.
 

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68/28 I run mine. not to sure what the par is but about 9 to 10 inches off tank. sps is high and appear to like it. also have hammer in mid tank and torch mid level. not sure if I backed em down it they would open / grow more?
 

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Hey all! I just found this thread and I’m low Key excited lol.

I have had my viparspectra fora couple months now and I worked the intensity up to 60% blue and 15% white, the lights sit 11” above water level and my tank is a 75g long not sure the height dimensions and I’m too lazy to look it up but my guesstimate is around 18-20 inches? I have had incredible growth So far. I need to get my par readings done but so far I can’t complain.


I was checking out your build. Have you not updated the lights yet? Doesn't look like viparspectra. Edit: Nvm I see them now :) .
Your corals look great. Where did you start with light intensities and how long did it take you to get to 60% blue 15%white?


Mike
 

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I was checking out your build. Have you not updated the lights yet? Doesn't look like viparspectra. Edit: Nvm I see them now :) .
Your corals look great. Where did you start with light intensities and how long did it take you to get to 60% blue 15%white?


Mike

thank you for the kind words. I should update my build threat TBH. I started at 50/15 at 9 inchs off tank. I have no idea where my par is at =( I am trying to revive a plate coral that began to show its skeleton =( not sure the cause of it.
 

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Hey wick.

I was replying to Mario but I will definitely check out your build too.

I hope someone with some more knowledge about your hammer will chime in. I’m not too sure. If I had to recommend something. I would suggest moving it down to the sand bed and see how it reacts.


Mike
 

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I was checking out your build. Have you not updated the lights yet? Doesn't look like viparspectra. Edit: Nvm I see them now :) .
Your corals look great. Where did you start with light intensities and how long did it take you to get to 60% blue 15%white?


Mike
I started the lights at 10% blues and 5% white, I did 5% increments of the blue and 1% of the white a week for 2 weeks then I jumped 10% blues a week and 5% white until current intensity.

everything loved it so I didn’t pay much attention to the intensity but I’m leaving it as 60-15 until I get the par meter
 

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I started the lights at 10% blues and 5% white, I did 5% increments of the blue and 1% of the white a week for 2 weeks then I jumped 10% blues a week and 5% white until current intensity.

everything loved it so I didn’t pay much attention to the intensity but I’m leaving it as 60-15 until I get the par meter

There’s a guy who ran some par readings and posted results with a graph only a couple or few pages back. Could possibly give you some ideas. Keep in mind his lights were very close to the surface. I’m trying to get in line for the par meter in my local club but could be a little while. I’ll post findings of mine whenever that happens with lights about 12”-15” from the surface. I have a 90 gallon. It’s a little taller than your 75 but should give you a pretty good idea.

I’m going to slowly ramp up...very slowly. Everyone is running so much more intense than I am. Even though my corals seem to be doing ok, they might be able to do better!

Will keep you guys updated on that


Mike
 

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There’s a guy who ran some par readings and posted results with a graph only a couple or few pages back. Could possibly give you some ideas. Keep in mind his lights were very close to the surface. I’m trying to get in line for the par meter in my local club but could be a little while. I’ll post findings of mine whenever that happens with lights about 12”-15” from the surface. I have a 90 gallon. It’s a little taller than your 75 but should give you a pretty good idea.

I’m going to slowly ramp up...very slowly. Everyone is running so much more intense than I am. Even though my corals seem to be doing ok, they might be able to do better!

Will keep you guys updated on that


Mike
I got a par meter and I’m organizing the par meters for my local club. I just haven’t had time to get it setup since it’s an old seneye I got from someone that hasn’t used it in like a yeaR lol
 

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