Which channel to increase

[Ships]

My zoas are reaching for light, which channel do i need to increase?

 

[Maacc]

Channels 3-6, but don't change more than 5-10% every couple of weeks. Once you get it there, leave it alone long term. One of the worst things for you reef is constantly fiddling with the lights. It can produce strange symptoms that are hard to pin down.

 

[Ships]

How long will it take before i will see a difference in my zoas?

 

[Maacc]

Probably about a week or two. Do you have access to a par meter? How deep is your tank? What are your settings?

 

[Ships]

Probably about a week or two. Do you have access to a par meter? How deep is your tank? What are your settings?

No I don't. And roughly 20 inches of water. Channels 3 through 6 are now 10% over what this chart says. My zoas were reaching for light when i had it set to these values.

 

[Maacc]

Ok a couple of other questions, because that intensity should definitely be enough for zoanthids.
How high off the water are the lights?
I am assuming that the zoas are in the sandbed. Are the colonies near the edges of the tank and are you running a single light?

 

[Ships]

I was thinking the same thing about the height of the lights qbout 2 weeks ago and lowered them. They are about 9 inches off the water now and have been that way for about 2 weeks. I am only using 1 light but its a Reefbreeders Photon that is nearly the same length of the tank. And the zoas are on a rock not right on the edge, but they are om one side of the tank. I also have another coral that looks like it was needing more light and its higher and closer to the center of the tank.

 

[Maacc]

As long as the light spill doesn't bother you I would raise it to at least 12" it seems to diffuse better.
Is there anything in your placement that causes shadowing? Also is it possible that those corals are in a dead spot for flow? Sometimes corals stretch and pale if they aren't getting the flow they like.

 

[Ships]

I actually liked it higher, made it easier to top off my tank, so I'll put it back. There is no color loss, just stretching, and i guess it could be a possiblity. Maybe aim my wavemaker lower?

 

[Ships]

Also there is no shadowing on them either.