I have had many reef tanks over the years. Some of the setups have resulted in colorful corals and some have resulted in astounding coral growth, but rarely both. In the past we didn't know near as much as we do today and we didn't have near the selection of equipment available today. In the past I always blamed the lack of coloration on excess nutrients or insuficient lighting. When I was lucky enough to get things right and have a setup in which the corals showed great colors, I assumed that the reasons were nutrient limitation by some mysterious process ocurring in the live rock or the latest spectrum bulb. Now with the avent/discovery of phosphate absorbing compounds and extreme low range phosphate coloriometers, keeping nutrient levels low is simple and predicitable. When I first started using these products I was amazed to see calurpa algea in my macroalgea sump die back. And with the advances in lighting and the increased availability of aquarium specific, high intensity lighting, achieving adequate light levels over the aquarium is very possible. Now for my topic for discussion. In my latest attempt at reef perfection. I have incorporated everything that I have learned up to this point. Control of all varaibles. Low nutrient levels achieved with protein skimming, deep sand bed, adequate live rock, refugium, and G.F.O. for phosphate limitation. I have virtually no green algea growth in the main aquarium. I built my own light hood with a mixture of 10K, 12K, and 20K bulbs. I have 6-250w metal halides, 2-96w actinic power compacts, and 2-400w metal halides. over a tank 2ft deep x 6ft long x 3ft front to back. The photoperiod is as follows....power compacts on at 5pm. 2-250w Metal halides on at 6pm, 2 more at 7pm, last two on at 8 pm. The 2-400w metal halides come on together for just 3 hours at 10pm. then the cycle reverses with the last light off at 6am. Corals in my connected 6 inch deep frag tank under normal output T-8's have good color. corals tranfered to the main tank grow well but turn more brown!!!Could I have too much light????
Is there such a thing as too much light.
- Thread starter tco17
- Start date
bergzy
New member
i would imagine a very low rate for idaho. electrical generation is mostly via hydro which is one of the cheapest ways to get e-. they also have gas and coal but i would imagine that part of the country would mostly use hydro.
http://www.idahopower.com/pdfs/energycenter/makeElectricity.pdf
you also live in orange county, ca. if youre not living in anaheim, chances are that your edison electricity bill is enormous if you use anything more than a dorm fridge and a 15 watt cf bulb. we here in socal edison run on the tier system. anything over the ridiculous baseline like i just mentioned and you start paying exponentially more.
there are now five tiers. before that was only three tiers. the graduations in the five tiers are smaller than what the three tiers use to be...which translates into stepping more easily into high rate tiers.
i 'think' our rates range from 12 cents/kwh to 38+ cents/kwh. i havent cracked open an electricity bill in a while since i am on annual net metering now since installing solar pv panels to offset my high electrical usage.
bergzy
New member
here are their rates.
just as i guessed it...they are extremely low ranging from 5.8 cents to 6.5 cents/kwh.
http://www.idahopower.com/pdfs/energycenter/makeElectricity.pdf
without my solar pv supplementation...my electricity bill would average about $650 per month.
'if' i lived in oregon, my monthly bill would be $147.40...or about 4.4x cheaper.
just as i guessed it...they are extremely low ranging from 5.8 cents to 6.5 cents/kwh.
http://www.idahopower.com/pdfs/energycenter/makeElectricity.pdf
without my solar pv supplementation...my electricity bill would average about $650 per month.
'if' i lived in oregon, my monthly bill would be $147.40...or about 4.4x cheaper.
zuzecawi
Member
Just from my own experience, lights not withstanding, when I ran my tank super duper uber insanely clean, my corals browned out as well. They weren't getting any supplemental nutrition, and they were relying entirely on their little symbiotic algal mates. Once I started letting things get a bit dirty again, they colored back up. Ironically, the prettiest anything in my tank ever got, was under lighting that only had a par rating of 97, and phosphate levels of around .5-1.0 I recently switched to higher par lighting (6500K bulbs vs 20K) and I've got phosphate down to around 0-.5. No browning, but certainly not the vibrant colors it was before the big power outage of 06.
Of course, with reef keeping, narrowing anything down to just two factors is near impossible. Just throwing other ideas/experiences out there.
Of course, with reef keeping, narrowing anything down to just two factors is near impossible. Just throwing other ideas/experiences out there.
marcus.breaux
New member
For soft corals, is there such a thing as too little light?
zuzecawi
Member
btw bergzy, you just outlined a good reason why I'll never move to Cali. I didn't realize you guys had such outrageous power costs, I think about my 155 a month electric bill and consider how bad it would be down there... makes me grateful to the ol BPA, even if they are fish killing river mauling pigs of the trough.
Yes electricity is cheap in my neck of the woods... large aquarium, lots of lighting, and hot tub, electric bill still under 150$ a month even in winter. I sure don't keep my tanks excessively clean, I feed alot more than I used to. You got me to thinking, could be a trace or minor element short fall. I have not dosed anything in a while...just mimimal water changes..???
FranktheTankTx
New member
Let me see:
6 - 250w MH
2 - 400w MH
2 - 96w PC
Over a 6x3x2' aquarium? I'm assuming that's about a 270g tank with 2,300w of MH over it for an average of over 8w per gallon.
YES - you have too much light. I can't imagine... the 2-400w are needless. 6-250w will handle a 24" deep tank just fine.
With the right reflectors - you might find that 3 - 400w MH would be suffice. I know with it being 3' wide you want good spread.
6 - 250w MH
2 - 400w MH
2 - 96w PC
Over a 6x3x2' aquarium? I'm assuming that's about a 270g tank with 2,300w of MH over it for an average of over 8w per gallon.
YES - you have too much light. I can't imagine... the 2-400w are needless. 6-250w will handle a 24" deep tank just fine.
With the right reflectors - you might find that 3 - 400w MH would be suffice. I know with it being 3' wide you want good spread.
wet reefer
New member
I have three reefs running using a common sump with different types of lighting over each. Each tank has two levels of lighting. I usually had a problem with colors fading in the SPS but fairly good growth. I have reduced the photo period to 10 hours on level #1 and to four hours on level #2. I have seen the colors increase over time with the shorter level of full intensity without affecting growth. IMO, many people do not use too much light but run their lighting at low and full intensity too long. This is just based on my experience. I don't think you need that much lighting or at least reduce the photo period for each level. With proper lighting I think 10 hours max is optimum.
So, IMO, I think your using too much light and running all of them too long.
BTW-I get better growth with T-5 lighting but much better colors with VHO-including SPS. I know that goes against current opinions but I know what I see. I have also seen colors increase on my T-5 tanks after I eliminated a daylight lamp that was in the mix. Although growth has slowed a bit which for me is a good thing. Corals were growing too fast! I'd rather have good colors than faster growth.
Again, this is what I have experienced with MY tanks and can only relay what I personally have observed.
So, IMO, I think your using too much light and running all of them too long.
BTW-I get better growth with T-5 lighting but much better colors with VHO-including SPS. I know that goes against current opinions but I know what I see. I have also seen colors increase on my T-5 tanks after I eliminated a daylight lamp that was in the mix. Although growth has slowed a bit which for me is a good thing. Corals were growing too fast! I'd rather have good colors than faster growth.
Again, this is what I have experienced with MY tanks and can only relay what I personally have observed.
jbird69
New member
Look at my tank specs. I have almost 10 wpg. Im having good color and growth. I dont have any wildly exotic corals so I can only speak for the corals I have. Just a variety of montis, acros, stylo and pocillapora.
I got a couple acros in the mail that were pretty brown and their beginning to purple up on the tips.
Jay
I got a couple acros in the mail that were pretty brown and their beginning to purple up on the tips.
Jay
watts per gallon is not really a great measure IMO.
he's getting double coverage of 400w lights that are overlapping with multiple 250ws.
I have heard that overly clean water can effect corals, not hurt them, but affect coloring. they need bacteria and such in the water to feed.
he's getting double coverage of 400w lights that are overlapping with multiple 250ws.
I have heard that overly clean water can effect corals, not hurt them, but affect coloring. they need bacteria and such in the water to feed.
bergzy
New member
yeah,
there are definite disadvantages in cost of living here in southern california. high cost of living, still very high home prices and really bad traffic are just to name a few.
but...
what i love about living here is the weather and the amenities that it offers. golf year round, disneyland year round, year round outdoor dining, year round pool use are just to mention a few.
i was born and raised in the pacific northwest. i didnt know that there were places where it didnt rain 9 months of the year. this year particular is a very bad winter nationwide. it is even cold here at night getting close to freezing. i am wanting my parents to be down here for the winter but they still want to be up there as their grand kids and old friends are there...otherwise, they would be down here as well.
if i ever choose to leave socal, i would entertain the thought of moving back to the pacific northwest. it does have a lot of natural beauty that cant be found anywhere else. but my wife would hate the weather and i have grown accustomed to a mild winter (if you can call it a winter here). i never enjoyed winter sports and camping (pacific northwest style...not in a camper, trailer or lodge...you know what i mean) like all my friends did...so i was always the odd man out.
lower electrical costs, lower housing costs, less traffic congestion and a more 'normal' pace of life are definite benefits of the pacific northwest are things i really do miss. the smell of pine in the air, the crisp ocean breeze and bundling up as a wet winter storm rolls in are the natural things that bring fond memories to me.
pjf
Premium Member
Here's an interesting article by Dana Riddle, entitled "Too Much Light," at URL: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2004/feature.htm.
Apparently, many SPS corals near the ocean's surface are photo-inhibited by mid-day sun and depend on the lesser morning and afternoon light for photosynthesis.
Apparently, many SPS corals near the ocean's surface are photo-inhibited by mid-day sun and depend on the lesser morning and afternoon light for photosynthesis.
jbird69
New member
Just a quick observation on the matter....
I have the ability to let some afternoon sunlight into my tank via a window a few feet away. When that sun comes thu, filtered by a double pane, argon gas filled window and the glass of my tank, it is still so bright, you can hardly notice the 400w halide light shining in the area where the sun doesnt hit. 400w is an amoeba on a flea on a dog compared to sunlight. Aqua cultured corals may need to be acclimated to high light, but their devine design is to handle a rediculously more amount than were talking about here.
Jay
I have the ability to let some afternoon sunlight into my tank via a window a few feet away. When that sun comes thu, filtered by a double pane, argon gas filled window and the glass of my tank, it is still so bright, you can hardly notice the 400w halide light shining in the area where the sun doesnt hit. 400w is an amoeba on a flea on a dog compared to sunlight. Aqua cultured corals may need to be acclimated to high light, but their devine design is to handle a rediculously more amount than were talking about here.
Jay
jpitch
Premium Member
I believe sanjay has an article on his website that asks this question. Studies have shown that corals in the ocean experience more intensity than the vast majority of fellow reefers put out early in the morning, let alone in the midday. While I'm not going to determine whether he has too much light I would imagine that there are other possible factors in his browning than just his lighting.
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