Led photoperiod for sps

[Notquiterite]

I have A360WEs too but they're on a different tank and I haven't had any Monti's in there. I also ramp them through my Apex where I have actual K numbers to work with.

The A360WE is a very strong light and in many ways easier to use. Though it's still given the name TUNA BLUE it cannot produce as limited a range as the A350s could. That's probably a good thing.

Where you have the channels set you're putting out a LOT of light. If in doubt back off on intensity by 10-20% for a couple of days and you'll see you SPS respond.

Okay, I just turned them down about 10%. I'll keep them there for a few days and see if there are improvements.:thumbsup:

 

[Notquiterite]

Btw, I don't know if this is too far off topic, if it is I'm sorry.. but regarding the kessil 360we, does the color affect the corals much? or is it pretty much our preference? I know it's different with the 350s

 

[Piper27]

I understand...ya like I said it depends on different variables the way the light penetrates will vary like I notice if my alk is higher and my system is low nutrient a higher setting on my led will start to bleach and if I lower the intensity with the whites it stops..I think photo period can be consistent but the varying of intensity throughout the day would probably have more effects with the corals..just my observations

So you are saying you think that leds are similar to metal halides and that the intensity (or what bulbs And ballast combo you use) is more of a factor than how long you run them. Example, I only ran my halides for 6 hours a day and got the same results as when I had them on for 10 hours a day.

Anyone experienced anything different with leds?
Are people running their leds for 12 hours a day simply wasting their bulbs and electric money?

 

[madadi]

I like to make sure I give my tank at least 8 hours of total darkness. otherwise my leds are on very dim for a longer sunrise and sunset so I can view my tank in the morning and at night, maybe 16 hours in the summer, much less in winter. thank you apex. my MH is on for only 4-6 hours though.

 

[Guygettnby]

I am currently running mine on a 12 hour cycle. They are about 8" off the water. I had them on a 10 hour cycle before and so far am not noticing any difference with the 2 extra hours. But I have only had them on a 12 hour cycle for a couple weeks. Wanted to try it out since my MH/T5 fixture was on for 12 hour cycle.

The amount of time you run your fixture will vary from tank to tank. With all the different kinds of lights out there now, there is really no good answer to this question.

You will have to experiment with your lights and watch your tank for any changes.

BTW, I have a 72g bow front, with 2 Arctic T247's. I do not have the intensity all the way up either. I'm at about 80% max and all my SPS are doing fine.

 

[Reefvet]

Btw, I don't know if this is too far off topic, if it is I'm sorry.. but regarding the kessil 360we, does the color affect the corals much? or is it pretty much our preference? I know it's different with the 350s

Well......you do understand that for the last couple of decades we've all gone through countless color combinations of MH and T5s trying to replicate the color spectrum that's pleasing to the eye and grows corals ?

Color of the light has a significant affect on growth. In the ocean the entire red end of the spectrum has been absorbed by 30 feet, 32 feet in freshwater.

So are you growing corals that are from shallow water, deep water or somewhere in between ?

Or are your corals aquaculture /matriculate specimens that have been adapted to light not typical of their natural environment ?

But then we are way off topic.

What the A360WE in conjunction with a controller offers is the ability to run 20K in the morning, ramp up to 10K for a couple of hours of mid-day sun and ramp back down to 20K at dusk. With an Apex I do this using the season table so each day is different.

And Kessil will have a $99 controller in a few months for the A360WE.

 

[Piper27]

The amount of time you run your fixture will vary from tank to tank. With all the different kinds of lights out there now, there is really no good answer to this question.

You will have to experiment with your lights and watch your tank for any change.

I am aware of these kinds of statements guys. I am not having issues with my lights.

I only trying to find out what the average time people run their leds for? At full blast. No ramping up and down. I keep getting comments like every tank is different, but that's not helping what I am doing. I am simply asking the public what their experience is, and if they have seen changes with longer photoperiods. To say "my questions can't really be answered because of the difference in lighting and tanks vary" is rediculous, my questions have been simple and uncomplicated. What kind of lights or tank you have does NOT matter with the questions I have asked.

 

[bdsage]

4 hrs. full blast.

 

[Brother D]

2 hour ramp up,9 hours at 100% with random strong clouds,2 hour fade out with just blues. 12 inches above water surface.

 

[cugly]

So you are saying you think that leds are similar to metal halides and that the intensity (or what bulbs And ballast combo you use) is more of a factor than how long you run them. Example, I only ran my halides for 6 hours a day and got the same results as when I had them on for 10 hours a day.

Anyone experienced anything different with leds?
Are people running their leds for 12 hours a day simply wasting their bulbs and electric money?

I am not an expert just from experience that spectrum and intensity of leds make more of a difference in relation to photoperiod and also the coverage of led's matters more spread and area covered the better. .i dont know if led are similar to halides yet but you can grow acro with led's with different situations. .this just all my experience and what I have seen I am no expert..

 

[Piper27]

Well thanks for chipping in! Most of us here are not experts either so thats why I am trying to figure out what the average run time is. It seems from the wide range people have posted so far that your probly right about intensity being key.

 

[spoon671]

Led photoperiod for sps

Hi! I figured I'd use this thread to post my information. I have a new tank, and I have some SPS inhabitants. Please let me know if I am doing something wrong, or if you see something that needs work. Thanks!!

The problem with all of these anecdotal reports is there is too little information. The photo period is but one factor in using any light source.



For the photo period the be in any way useful we need at the least the following relevant information.

Tank - Innovative Marine Nuvo 16

Height of the light from the water - 4" Above water surface.


Angle of light distribution -i.e. wide or spot - Wide, Kessil A350W.


Settings for color and intensity of the light(s) - 25% Blue, 60% White


Depth of the coral in the tank - SPS located in upper 50% of the water depth, central 50% of tank width.


Water clarity - i.e. using carbon or not, frequency of water changes, skimmer - Carbon, no skimmer, weekly 2g water changes.


Type of coral - Plating and encrusting montipora


Frags or colonies - Both

pH - 8.1


Alkalinity - 9.2dKh


Calcium - 420


Magnesium - 1380


Are you feeding your corals - Oyster feast


Circulation - >50x via 357gph dual nozzle return + MP10


Temp of tank and light's effect on temp - Avg 79.2 (swing 78.9 to 79.5) Kessil has no effect on temp


Thanks again!

 

[Notquiterite]

Hi! I figured I'd use this thread to post my information. I have a new tank, and I have some SPS inhabitants. Please let me know if I am doing something wrong, or if you see something that needs work. Thanks!!







Tank - Innovative Marine Nuvo 16

Height of the light from the water - 4" Above water surface.


Angle of light distribution -i.e. wide or spot - Wide, Kessil A350W.


Settings for color and intensity of the light(s) - 25% Blue, 60% White


Depth of the coral in the tank - SPS located in upper 50% of the water depth, central 50% of tank width.


Water clarity - i.e. using carbon or not, frequency of water changes, skimmer - Carbon, no skimmer, weekly 2g water changes.


Type of coral - Plating and encrusting montipora


Frags or colonies - Both

pH - 8.1


Alkalinity - 9.2dKh


Calcium - 420


Magnesium - 1380


Are you feeding your corals - Oyster feast


Circulation - >50x via 357gph dual nozzle return + MP10


Temp of tank and light's effect on temp - Avg 79.2 (swing 78.9 to 79.5) Kessil has no effect on temp


Thanks again!

How long has your tank been set up? Also, how do your montis appear to be doing under the lighting?

 

[Ink]

Light duration and intensity must be balanced to available nutrients.

You should simply look to your corals. If they're healthy and growing, but dark, nutrients are in excess and You should increse the light. If corals are pale, simply reduce the light.
Pay attention avoiding to reduce too much the distance between fixtures and tank, because this will increse difference in PAR between the area under the fixture and all around, so You will get pale corals under the light and dark corals in the others areas.

Luca

 

[spoon671]

Led photoperiod for sps

How long has your tank been set up? Also, how do your montis appear to be doing under the lighting?

Tank has been setup for about 6-7 weeks or so. Monti's have only been in here for a week. Good polyp extension so far. I am feeding every other day.

I don't think they've been in long enough to see a difference either way, right? But color is vibrant just like the day I acclimated them. The Sunset Monti was actually the first one, and had some spots that were white. It appears as if the white parts are going away and color is filling it's place.

Got the chalice over two weeks ago even though I didn't think I was ready for it at the time (it was given to me), first coral in the tank. Off topic of course, but FWIW the chalice is eating voraciously, and coloration seems to be taking off and I think I can even see a couple new eyes forming.

Light duration and intensity must be balanced to available nutrients.

Hmmm, that make sense! Never thought if it like this before.

 

[Notquiterite]

Tank has been setup for about 6-7 weeks or so. Monti's have only been in here for a week. Good polyp extension so far. I am feeding every other day.

I don't think they've been in long enough to see a difference either way, right? But color is vibrant just like the day I acclimated them. The Sunset Monti was actually the first one, and had some spots that were white. It appears as if the white parts are going away and color is filling it's place.

Got the chalice over two weeks ago even though I didn't think I was ready for it at the time (it was given to me), first coral in the tank. Off topic of course, but FWIW the chalice is eating voraciously, and coloration seems to be taking off and I think I can even see a couple new eyes forming.






Hmmm, that make sense! Never thought if it like this before.

That's great, I'm glad to hear things are starting to look better. Although it is still soon, please update with us as to the progress of how the corals do under the kessils. I have the 360we's over my tank and my corals are in a "stand-still" and I'm curious to see how it compares with others. I'm waiting for them to take off, but right now I'm trying to keep them as happy as possible during their acclimation period.

 

[Notquiterite]

Btw, you have some really nice coloration in those pieces!

 

[spoon671]

Btw, you have some really nice coloration in those pieces!

Thank you! And I am in the same boat as you, acclimating the Monti's to LED. The Sunset came out of a MH tank with LED supplementation.

The "Nauti Spiral" (I don't know whatever they call it) pictured above with the blue polyps, was under T5.

This red Monti Cap (I don't know any fancy name for it, pictured below) is from a buddy's tank. Cool thing is, he has 4 Kessil's running at max 90% on Apex control on his 24" deep 100g. So I'm hoping this coral at the very least will respond quite favorably to it's new home.

 

[mr. pluto]

12 hr. cycle max 100b 30w 1hr. only

leds grown sps nearly 3 yrs.

 

[trueblackpercula]

12 hr. cycle max 100b 30w 1hr. only

leds grown sps nearly 3 yrs.

Outstanding what fixture is that?