My 120 has been up and running foe 3 months now and gone through the cycles. Water parameters are great. Nitrate os 0 and phosphate are barely detectable. I set my Radions to XR30 pros like I had my halides back in the old days. I had 3 400 watt 10 k and 2 6500 k for peak photoperiod. When I did this on my new tank with intensity almost 95% at peak, it grew algae on the glass fast. I'd scrape it off and it came off like green dust. Then within an hour it began to grow back again. Since then I've hut back the intensity to 40% and 14 and 20k color. Much better on the algae growth. Any advise on tweaking the leds without compromising growth and health? Oh ya, SPS and LPS are whats in it currently
brightness vs led color for less algae
- Thread starter schwebb
- Start date
maddhugan
New member
I had a similar problem
I had a similar problem
So I never had metal halides so I can't compare LED vs Metal halide. But when I had my leds going I had too much algae growth on the glass and it was kind of becoming a problem. My nitrates weren't zero but around 5. I put a biopellet reactor and the algae growth is significantly reduced and I have to clean only once in 10 days with the flipper.
Also another thought, the algae growth may be due to the color temp mostly? and when it is also intense, it grows algae? just a possibility. May be you can play around with the color temp and move to a different spectrum that doesn't affect coral growth but could cut down algae. In theory algae likes the long wavelength (close to the red color/7000nm) than the shorter wavelength(which is close to the violet). just throwing some ideas that's all.
I had a similar problem
So I never had metal halides so I can't compare LED vs Metal halide. But when I had my leds going I had too much algae growth on the glass and it was kind of becoming a problem. My nitrates weren't zero but around 5. I put a biopellet reactor and the algae growth is significantly reduced and I have to clean only once in 10 days with the flipper.
Also another thought, the algae growth may be due to the color temp mostly? and when it is also intense, it grows algae? just a possibility. May be you can play around with the color temp and move to a different spectrum that doesn't affect coral growth but could cut down algae. In theory algae likes the long wavelength (close to the red color/7000nm) than the shorter wavelength(which is close to the violet). just throwing some ideas that's all.
AgentSPS
New member
3500-6500k color temp is ideal for plant growth...whence color of grow lights. Keep in mind, however, that the algae in your corals is benefitting from this as well. I would argue that corals with more healthy zoozanthellae population are more resilient and less likely to STN/RTN. Color intensity of corals may be effected but beauty of LED's is you can find the right ratio of growth photo period vs color intensity.
You might want to search "SPS Keepers" forum
You might want to search "SPS Keepers" forum
I left the lights off for a day, then lowered the intensity, and shortened the photo period along using 20 and 14k settings and lowering the red and green. Initially the algae still grew, but then stopped. I've since lengthened the photo period and increased the red and green color, and no issues so far. My guess is it had something to do with having my skimmer off for a week during a ich treatment.
