How high should I turn up my led?

[Fishguy88]

I have a MarsAqua 165 watt led hanging 12 inches above my standard 29 gallon. I have a green star polyp, blue mushroom, and a sprungs stunner chalice. I have the blue at about 30 percent and the white at about 20 percent on. I've been trying to slowly acclimate the light over the past week. Anybody know what I should be shooting for to have the lights at? Should it eventually be at full power?


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[oneofmany]

I don't really have an answer for you, but I don't suppose you could post a picture of your tank? I'm considering that same lighting fixture for my tank right now and would love to see how it looks. Thanks.

 

[NS Mike D]

Do they (MarsAqua) publish a PAR Mapping for the fixture, or do you have a PAR meter that can measure LED light?


If not, many local reef clubs share a PAR meter.

 

[Bono]

I have three of the Mars Aqua's on my 125 gallon and my blues are at 75% and whites about 40%. I started at half of those settings and brought them up over the course of a month or so.

 

[mcgyvr]

anywhere near 50/50 would be PLENTY of light IMO..
40/30 should be just fine or around there depending on your personal preference of the overall "color" of the light.

 

[anthonys51]

also those 3 corals listed dont need a lot of light, so you wouldnt need more than 50/50 imo.

 

[Jon0807]

It really depends on how your corals react. I have a viparspectra 165 that I started at 5% white and 10% blue. I slowly increases the intensity over about a month and at 20% white, everything but my galaxy closed up. I went back down to 10% and my zoas and Duncan are happy

 

[neiltus]

Some reefers like to occasionally turn it up to 11.

 

[mjstech]

I would like a pic also. I have a 29 standard as well. And I just saw you were from upstate. I grew up near Buffalo.

 

[mcgyvr]

Some reefers like to occasionally turn it up to 11.

Only if you are wanting a Spinal Tap..:debi:

 

[ReefsandGeeks]

I'd shoot for 30%White 50%blues or so. You'll have to judge bass on how the coral react, which is hard to do because they react slowly in a positive way. Just very slowly increase each color in the ratio that you like until you get to a brightness that you like. Stop if you see any negative effects, and back the lighting off a bit if you do.

I used to have the taller 29g (37g), but have since upgraded to a 65. I used the same light on both of my tanks. I don't remember what I had it on my 37, but now on my 65g, I have it set to 50%W, 100%B and am growing SPS.

 

[fairl80z]

Op, I have two of theses fixtures hanging over my 65 gallon. About 12 inches from the water . I keep a mixed reef. And I have the blues and whites at about 75%. My tank is deeper than yours so you won't need that amount of power. I would say30%- 40% for each



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[Timfish]

Seems to be some confusion between intensity snd percentage of blue versus white. As far as intensity I'd second Jon0807's post. As far as yhe ratio of blue to white that's largely your prefference but keep in mind the white channel still has a lot of blue in it.

 

[Sk8r]

I'd say start at 40% and inch it up.

If you don't have a par meter (count me among them) use typical (but cheap) corals of a class as test subjects and play coral chess, elevating them every few days, then ramping up every few days until you can figure where 'happy' is. When you hit 'unhappy' back it down. Bear in mind nitrate levels and flow will also impact them.

 

[abIngenui]

Like others are saying, start at 30-40% and go up from there. It also depends what corals you want and where you want to put them in your tank. If you are wanting to put low light coral towards the top, then lower light levels are better. A good metric is to set a light level and then find where the coral closes up or looks generally unhappy. Then move it down until it is, or alternatively reduce intensity.

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[mountainraised]

Watching this closely in hopes that my SO will get me one of these fixtures on Black Friday...

 

[homer1475]

I would like a pic also. I have a 29 standard as well. And I just saw you were from upstate. I grew up near Buffalo.

Pfft that's not upstate. Anything north of Syracuse is upstate in my mind.

I have 2 of the 300 watt units over my 80 and I keep mine at 68% blues, and 40% whites.

 

[happyhourhero]

I would do it 25W and 50B and go up 5% or so a week until you find the sweet spot. I grow SPS on the bottom of my tank with my SB reef light black boxes at 50W 80B