Anyone Thinking of Dumping LEDS and going back to Halides

[overexposed]

Hello everyone, I am absolutely at my wits end with my AI Hydra LED lights. I have 2 of them above my 90 gallon and I am attempting to grow SPS.

Please just assume that my water parameters are perfect, with that said, I spent 800 dollars on a pair of lights that don't live up to what they are supposed to do.

What would all you experienced SPS guys recommend for me? Ditch the Hydras and get MH or T5 or supplement one of these with my Hydras so I can keep dawn/dusk effects? There isn't a lot of room above an in-wall 48x18x24 tank so I'm not sure how keeping the Hydras would work.

I have the Hydras controlled through my Apex with the Aqua Illuminations module that I also bought.

My SPS are looking faded, tired and starving. The polyps come out completely at night, they are growing/encrusting, but the color looks horrendous.

I use the Apogee PAR meter and the best I get is 250 in a small circle 7 inches under water line. Everywhere else is 150 to 70 on the sand bed.

Anyway, I need to change and save my corals, please let me know what you guys think would be a good unit for my application, I know nothing about the various T5's or MH lights.

250 PAR at 7 inches below the water line seems quite low. What percentage are you running the Hydras at? And how high above the water are the pendants hanging? I used to run DIY LED pendants over my 90 gallon that had approximately the same number and mix of diodes as Hydra 52s, but not in the same clustered layout, and I was getting about 400 PAR at 6 inches depth, running around 100%. I was also running a single T5 tube at the front and back of my canopy.

But as mentioned by Jim, your issue may not be one of lighting, it could easily be one of nutrients...

 

[Tuffloud1]

250 PAR at 7 inches below the water line seems quite low. What percentage are you running the Hydras at? And how high above the water are the pendants hanging? I used to run DIY LED pendants over my 90 gallon that had approximately the same number and mix of diodes as Hydra 52s, but not in the same clustered layout, and I was getting about 400 PAR at 6 inches depth, running around 100%. I was also running a single T5 tube at the front and back of my canopy.

But as mentioned by Jim, your issue may not be one of lighting, it could easily be one of nutrients...

I have the regular Hydras.

They are hanging 7 inches above water line.

Most of my acros are 7 inches below waterline.

Here is a picture of what my settings are.

They peak for 5 hours at the settings in the picture and have a 3 hour ramp up and down time for a total of 11 hours a day.

I would really appreciate all your advice guys, thank you very much!

 

[Tuffloud1]

Forgot to attach the picture of my settings.

Here it is.

 

[power boat jim]

you are only using 3 colors. You are using less then 25% of the rated power of the light and missing a good portion of the spectrum. Thats why I posted earlier on doing a search on how other people might have the lights set.

 

[Tuffloud1]

you are only using 3 colors. You are using less then 25% of the rated power of the light and missing a good portion of the spectrum. Thats why I posted earlier on doing a search on how other people might have the lights set.

I have endlessly read through the "settings" forums for these lights. The settings I posted are Sonicboom's settings, which he uses for his sps.

The settings I'm using are very typical, most say going higher on whites will fry sps.

 

[tonymission]

I just switched back to T5 from radiums... Didn't like my Hamilton fixture and my other t5 tank just has amazing colors. I don't mind paying for the bulbs for great color and good growth.
My wife has a radion on her 30g and my Acros have grown surprisingly well in there and held their color.

 

[power boat jim]

I have endlessly read through the "settings" forums for these lights. The settings I posted are Sonicboom's settings, which he uses for his sps.

The settings I'm using are very typical, most say going higher on whites will fry sps.

I run gen 3 radiums with 6 channels at a max of 70% overall. The violet, dark blue and 10k slide is at 100%. White, green and red at 45%. It is a 14k setting. Its about about 55% of the overall possible intensity output. I also have a 20k 400w radium over the rear of the tank that runs a few hrs a day just to help eliminate shading. The setting you are using just doesnt seem to provide enough PAR or spectrum for an SPS tank (IMO).

 

[JPMagyar]

I just switched back to T5 from radiums... Didn't like my Hamilton fixture and my other t5 tank just has amazing colors. I don't mind paying for the bulbs for great color and good growth.
My wife has a radion on her 30g and my Acros have grown surprisingly well in there and held their color.

Pictures are always helpful otherwise I'll just say this:

I have the best looking corals on the planet and I use Radiums in a Hamilton fixture.

No evidence. No value in a statement such as:

" . . . my other t5 tank just has amazing colors." or "My wife has a radion on her 30g and my Acros have grown surprisingly well in there and held their color."

Colors like this T5 tank?

 

[tonymission]

Pictures are always helpful otherwise I'll just say this:



I have the best looking corals on the planet and I use Radiums in a Hamilton fixture.



No evidence. No value in a statement such as:



" . . . my other t5 tank just has amazing colors."



Colors like this T5 tank?

Not really trying to be helpful (we have that in common too). Just replying to the thread topic with my experience.

I'm sure there are many people with beautiful tanks and average-at-best reflectors. My old odyssey fixture with Phoenix bulbs definitely colored and grew SPS at a great rate. Now I'm referring to the Cebu Sun fixture specifically and there's no way anyone could argue it uses good reflectors... there aren't any besides the box itself! Maybe you have individual pendants or something. If not, then it's just your bulbs doing all the work ...

 

[Tuffloud1]

you are only using 3 colors. You are using less then 25% of the rated power of the light and missing a good portion of the spectrum. Thats why I posted earlier on doing a search on how other people might have the lights set.

Why do you say I'm only using 3 colors? All the colors are in use for the Hydra. The ones at 0 are not available on the Hydra.

 

[mhucasey]

My LFS is a great looking store and the owner really knows his stuff. He partnered with Ecotech when he built the store and went all Radions. At that time, his was the biggest Radion installation they had(2.5 years ago). His display reef is lit by Radion Pros, and he has upgraded lenses for all the units in the store as they came out. He probably has at least 25 -30 units. We measured par under the lights and the numbers were ok, a bit low on the sand, but 400-600 at the top of his display reef.

As much as it pains me because I love the store and the owners, the corals have slowly degenerated to the point that I was struck with how little color was left in the display reef and how many of his prize corals were just gone or were struggling. The same goes for the frags in the sale tanks that have hung around for a while. I have suggested adding some T5s as an experiment, but he hesitates as if his relationship with Ecotech forbids him from using anything else, its strange. I can tell you that with his tank and the resources and knowledge that he has, I dont think that its the water quality or a lack of attention to the tank that is responsible...

 

[Wazzel]

I have endlessly read through the "settings" forums for these lights. The settings I posted are Sonicboom's settings, which he uses for his sps.

The settings I'm using are very typical, most say going higher on whites will fry sps.

It will not if you take your time increasing the power. I run my whites at 87%. Take you good sweet time increasing the power. Not sure where you are but consider a percent or two per week.

 

[power boat jim]

Why do you say I'm only using 3 colors? All the colors are in use for the Hydra. The ones at 0 are not available on the Hydra.

Sorry, didnt know the Hydras well enough to know that the chart you posted had colors that are not used for that model.

 

[Crackem]

Hi
I am thinking about buying a new tank, 48x24x24 with a canopy(my apt is extra dusty from my wifes cockatoo) and was wondering what everyones thoughts were about combo fixtures. Im considering either 2 x 250w metal halides with 20k radium bulbs and 4 T5's, or a 6 or 8 bulb T5/Led fixture. I am going to be going Sps dominant with maybe a few zoas. No lps, montis, mushrooms, or encrusting corals. Which fixture would work inside a canopy? I'm leaning towards a metal halide T5 combo.

 

[d2mini]

Hi
I am thinking about buying a new tank, 48x24x24 with a canopy(my apt is extra dusty from my wifes cockatoo) and was wondering what everyones thoughts were about combo fixtures. Im considering either 2 x 250w metal halides with 20k radium bulbs and 4 T5's, or a 6 or 8 bulb T5/Led fixture. I am going to be going Sps dominant with maybe a few zoas. No lps, montis, mushrooms, or encrusting corals. Which fixture would work inside a canopy? I'm leaning towards a metal halide T5 combo.

I run the 72" Hamilton Cebu Sun fixture and like it a lot. Has 3 MH and 4 T5. They have several smaller sizes with two and one mh. All run 4 t5 bulbs.
I shoehorned that sucker into my canopy.
Tank is 84" long.

 

[d2mini]

Now I'm referring to the Cebu Sun fixture specifically and there's no way anyone could argue it uses good reflectors... there aren't any besides the box itself! Maybe you have individual pendants or something. If not, then it's just your bulbs doing all the work ...

Actually, I find the reflector works pretty well!
I kinda liked it better than the rack I built with 3 separate mh reflectors and retro T5's. I felt it spread the light from the MH better.

 

[alton]

Sorry, didnt know the Hydras well enough to know that the chart you posted had colors that are not used for that model.

Don't feel too bad I saw the post and thought the exact same thing

 

[reeferaddict]

Figure I can get a good answer here- sorry if it's not in the best place-

I'm starting a small SPS tank and am debating on a 250HQI MH pendant or an LED pendant, possibly a Kessil..not sure

its only a 34gl tank- 20" rimless cube

kinda leaning towards the MH

 

[ghostman]

Figure I can get a good answer here- sorry if it's not in the best place-

I'm starting a small SPS tank and am debating on a 250HQI MH pendant or an LED pendant, possibly a Kessil..not sure

its only a 34gl tank- 20" rimless cube

kinda leaning towards the MH

I'm a huge fan of 250W MH with T5 supplementation, but I feel that works best on bigger tanks. I think your tank would be great with a 150W halide, all T5s, or LEDs like a Kessil if heat will be an issue of you. I think the 250W MH will heat up your water too much. Just my opinion...

 

[Crackem]

I'm a huge fan of 250W MH with T5 supplementation, but I feel that works best on bigger tanks. I think your tank would be great with a 150W halide, all T5s, or LEDs like a Kessil if heat will be an issue of you. I think the 250W MH will heat up your water too much. Just my opinion...

What about on a 120 ? 48x24x24 150w or 250w MH ? And how many? 2 or 3 ? I currently have 2 x 150w MH and 2x 54w T5 on my 72bowfront.