Light enough or too much
- Thread starter taowa
- Start date
epicurus84
New member
Too much light is not possible. Too soon to much light is.
it's either not enough light or too fast to much. If it's light at all.
When its RTN it could be soo much. And ruling out one thing is not the way to go.
it's either not enough light or too fast to much. If it's light at all.
When its RTN it could be soo much. And ruling out one thing is not the way to go.
frankyrivera
FUP&A Member
Usually rtn is water issues not light. Lights causes corals to bleach. While bugs and alk and other parameters would cause rtn. Temperature salinity gfo gac all these things could cause it not only lights we need more info what are your parameters are u dosing stability we need more info
Devil Man
Member
i too am having the same issues i just went full LED with the maxspect 160 coming from a 6 bulb t5 fixture over a 40gl. i didnt run the LED full blast out the door i went up a little day by day for about a week and a half till full light for about 6hr a day with 2hr before and after going down to 0.
my params are alk 11, calc is over 500, salinity 1.026, temp is 80 while lights on and 76 off. no traceable nitrates or phophates. running a skimmer and carbon only. i have a 3gl fuge that i run in reverse period.
all this headache has seemed to start after the switch from LED to t5 i first had the LED about 5" over the tank and after loosing 2 frags which i have had for about a month i moved the fixture up about 12" now.
any thoughts? sorry for the thread jack im just on the same boat
my params are alk 11, calc is over 500, salinity 1.026, temp is 80 while lights on and 76 off. no traceable nitrates or phophates. running a skimmer and carbon only. i have a 3gl fuge that i run in reverse period.
all this headache has seemed to start after the switch from LED to t5 i first had the LED about 5" over the tank and after loosing 2 frags which i have had for about a month i moved the fixture up about 12" now.
any thoughts? sorry for the thread jack im just on the same boat
trueblackpercula
New member
I would lower my Alk to 8.0 to 9.0 lower salinity to 1.024 or 1.025 calcium needs to be around 450. Also what is your magnesium willing to bet its high as well. I would do water changes until you get to a good base line starting point.
Do you dose two part ?
Do you dose two part ?
IMO, and others might not agree, the LED are putting out too much of the wrong kind of light and not enough of the good. There is no possible way that they put out too much, or not likely even too much, too fast. Put the T5 back on, or better yet, put a halide on there and see...
500 and 11 is not idea for most, but it would be fine if everything else is otherwise good.
500 and 11 is not idea for most, but it would be fine if everything else is otherwise good.
Devil Man
Member
i havent tested for that will have to pick up a new test kit to see where it is at but its possible you are right and its high. i have been doing water changes im just baffled as to how the calc got so high i dont dose any extra additives. salinity has been lowered to 1.025 atm. im gonna do another water change maybe tomorrow or so im gonna buy IO salt since that has so little calc/alk in it to try to actually lower these levels.
i really wanted a halide but i dont want to run a chiller. i believe the t5 is good but i am gonna say the LED is better and i have seen enough tanks now that have had good success with this form of lighting,
that is what i thought but this isnt all coming from the base though atm a birds nest has it on one of the tips and its working its way downward.
this has been a solid thread jacking.
anyone have thoughts on dosing iodine to help prevent the rtn?
ampemployee1
Member
You don't mention your magnesium level. My guess is your mag level is low given the level of calcium levels are 500. Check the reef chemistry forum for details on the relationship between Ca, Mag, and Alk levels. Low levels of mag (under 1280ppm) may inhibit the ability of your SPS to utilize the available Ca; don't know if this will cause RTN, but for sure, if your levels of mag are out of the target range of 1280-1350, you have one critical parameter which may be a contributing factor.
danil
New member
" wrong kind of light" "not enough of the good.." light. It's very scientific statement. Physic of lights is well-studied subject and could be measured with good precision even using hobby grade tools. We are all agree that physic of MH sources is different from LED sources but it doesn't mean it can't be too much or too little "light". It can and with most modern LED it will be the case. Going from T5 to LED with lenses running 100% you will fry your corals. The average PAR could be x3 x10 times more. And yes I did measure it using PAR meter on more then doesn't of tanks. LED light is more tricky to dial in then other light sources hence PAR meter is handy.
Based on my measurements I would say during transition time you have to run your new LED fixture on 15-25% of power. Check this video to get second opinion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob1PYQ9buKY
To OP. I don't think your problem is your lights. You alk is a bit on high end. It's OK with stable highly nutrients rich system to have such Alk but it's not safe if system not stable enough or there is lack of nutrients for corals. Higher Alk pushes them to grow faster... but they can't and here is STN.
GL!
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