LED Intensity on Biocube 29

[EuroDriver]

Hey everyone, I'm looking to get some feedback/suggestions as to what is the ideal intensity to run LEDs on a Biocube 29.

I have a Coralife Biocube 29 which I retrofitted with a RapidLED solderless kit using
11 x Neutral White Cree XP-G
12 x Royal Blue Phillips Rebel ES
1 x Cyan Phillips Rebel ES

I'm running 2 strings off of Mean Well ELN-60-48D drivers, controlled with a Reefkeeper ALC. Lighting duration is
Whites: 9 hours with 1 hour ramp up, 1 hour ramp down
Blues: 10 hours with 1 hour ramp up, 1 hour ramp down

I have a variety of SPS, zoas, palys, purple mushrooms, 1 torch coral and 1 hammer.

Initially, I began with intensity at 40%W/55%B and gradually increased it to 70/85

At first everything seemed fine but eventually one of my mushrooms and a small colony of zoas started turning transparent. I turned down the intensity which is now at 30/70 which seems to have brought an improvement in color but now some of my zoas and my torch are only half extended and I noticed some reduction of polyp extension on some of the SPS as well.

What combination of intensity are you having luck with?

 

[TRENT_G]

On My Biocube I run reefbreeders It2040. full off SPS and ramp up and down full power being only one hour at 60/40. LEDs surprise me how powerful they are.

 

[EuroDriver]

On My Biocube I run reefbreeders It2040. full off SPS and ramp up and down full power being only one hour at 60/40. LEDs surprise me how powerful they are.

I assume you're running your BC topless, or did you manage to fit it under the hood?!?!

I find your light cycle interesting. what do you have your ramp duration set at? If my assumption is correct, I'm finding out that people that have hanging fixtures tend to have happier corals, but I'm not willing to remove the hood and thus, my lights are extremely close to the water surface.

 

[Grnrado]

If you are running optics you could be spot lighting your coral. I run my reef breeders 12" from the water surface on my biocube at 32b 30w. At that setting I am reading about 180-200 par at the sand bed.

 

[Deberber]

On My Biocube I run reefbreeders It2040. full off SPS and ramp up and down full power being only one hour at 60/40. LEDs surprise me how powerful they are.

How did you suspend that?

 

[TRENT_G]

I assume you're running your BC topless, or did you manage to fit it under the hood?!?!

I find your light cycle interesting. what do you have your ramp duration set at? If my assumption is correct, I'm finding out that people that have hanging fixtures tend to have happier corals, but I'm not willing to remove the hood and thus, my lights are extremely close to the water surface.

Without looking it goes something like.
8am 10 blues 0 whites
9. 10/5
10. 20/10
11. 30/20
12. 40/30
1. 50/40
2. 60/40
3. 50/40
4. 40/30
And so on till you get back to moon lighting at around 8 or 9.

How did you suspend that?

Here it is about 8 months later.