Lighting for SPS

[malx]

Hi, All.

Can everyone share their photo-period for their SPS corals? My corals are surviving, not thriving, and I want to understand if my lights are a possibility. Here's how my photo-period works.

I have a 36 x 20 x 20 tank with two Kessil A360W Tuna Blues and 4 T5 bulbs.
My T5 bulbs are...
1x Fiji Purple: http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/korallen-zucht-fiji-purple-high-output-t5-lamp.html
2x Coral II http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/korallen-zucht-coral-light-ii-new-generation-t5-lamp.html
1x Superblue: http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/korallen-zucht-coral-light-super-blue-t5-lamp.html

At 6:30am, my Kessils come on at 15% power and they are 0% color (that means they are 100% blue). They end at 11pm also at 100% blue and 15% power. I like to view my tank early morning and late at night, so I try to keep these on low. They peak to about 25% intensity from the hours of 12pm to 6pm. Schedule looks like this: http://screencast.com/t/Qq9zEOwoQJet

At 7am to 10pm, I mix in some white from the Kessils. They are a total of 25% white from the hours of 1pm to 3pm. I do this for added shimmer mostly. The schedule looks like this: http://screencast.com/t/opn9IbjE

At 12pm, two of the 4 T5 bulbs come on. One of the Coral IIs and one of the Superblues. They are on until 5pm.
At 2pm, the remaining two T5 bulbs come on. One more of the Coral IIs and the Fiji Purple. That goes off at 7pm.

Let me know what you guys think and if I should make some adjustments. Trying to get my corals to color up a bit with out causing any algae issues.

Cheers,
Joey

 

[Pife]

What are your nutrients?

 

[malx]

What are your nutrients?

Nitrates 2.5. Phosphates 0. Alk I run around 6.8 - 7.3. Calcium I'm not sure because my Hanna checker is off. Working with the company on that however I bi-weekly water changes. Magnesium around 1300. Potassium is 350 as per last test. Dosing K.


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[reefmutt]

how old is your tank?
I have a similar lighting schedule.. well, from 8 am to 10:30p.
0 p can make corals unhappy.. especially with long photoperiods..

 

[reefmutt]

got any pics?

 

[368]

Are you constantly sticking your hand in the tank and tinkering with stuff? That's one question I never see get asked. I believe in the set it and forget it method. 8hrs of light is plenty for a sps tank.

 

[malx]

Yes I got pics. No I don't move stuff around much. I don't think it's good to keep tinkering.

Took some pics with my whites on. You can see how the stylo looks like it's struggling on one side vs the other

Struggling side:

Better side:

Loss of pigment in Acro:

Another struggling Acro:

The rest seem to be doing well. I don't know if they are surviving or thriving.

Should I decrease my photo period? Or just have a longer blue only period?


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[reefmutt]

I think I'd turn the kessels off temporarily, add a few more fish, get a consistent p reading - .03-.06 and then turn the Kessils back on at half intensity a couple months after that..

 

[minus9]

If you ask me, that's too long of a photo period. 12hrs max. I have two 160's and two T5 bulbs over my 22g and I run a 12hr cycle. 3hr ramp up and down, with a 6hr peak. T5's are only on for 4-5hrs during peak.

 

[drtrash]

Only 25% peak intensity? Ramp it up to 40 slowly

 

[brownsps]

^^^I'd have to agree with that, kessil's are pretty weak when it comes to intensity and reading your post it sounds like you only have somewhat intense lighting for 5hrs a day. Its a long light period but only intense for a few hrs.

How high above the tank do you have the lights? I would definitely turn up the kessil's.

I run an 8x80w ati t5 fixture over my tank for 10hrs, 2hrs dusk/dawn and 8hrs full intensity. SPS color up and grow well

 

[DaveRaz]

12 hours actinic
4 hours peak

 

[kevin.st]

I run my mine at 8 hours. Those acros look dead.

 

[malx]

I'm getting mixed ideas here. One says turn kessils off the other says turn them to 40%. Not sure which ones to pick but I have to do something because I'm def going to lose this stylo colony. It looks worse today. This is so frustrating

Polyps don't even wanna come out on the right side.

Thoughts??


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[malx]

Well, I found one issue, maybe not THE issue but my Ca and Mg were super low! I turned my Ca Reactor off a month or so ago because my Hanna checker was testing high. Turns out, they sent me a bottle of their RO/DI water and using that in the checker turns out my Ca and Mg are in the 300 range. Not cool. Going to do a 10% water change tonight to replenish some elements and then turn the Ca reactor back on which should slowly start to balance everything!

 

[Scorpius]

The Hanna Calcium Checker is notorious for being inaccurate.

 

[reefmutt]

The Hanna Calcium Checker is notorious for being inaccurate.

Yes, I have heard the same thing. I would never use one...

 

[Scorpius]

Yes, I have heard the same thing. I would never use one...

I used one for awhile. Never again. Always had 500 calcium no matter what. :lol:

 

[markalot]

Not enough light doesn't kill SPS IMO. The purple stylo will actually do quite well in low light as most stylos will, but it may not be a nice color. When in doubt I would dim the lighting a bit, cut back on the photo period, and then maybe feed a little more (I like reef roids) to see if things improve.

I lost most of a giant purple stylo due to a PO4 spike followed by an Alk spike and then, because I'm an idiot, a rapid drop in PO4. It was ugly and the damage lasted for months. If none of that has happened then maybe more feeding and less light will turn things around.

Just the 4 T5 bulbs over your tank is probably enough to color up most SPS.

 

[malx]

I was able to get the Acro to show more PE after I fixed my Ca issue. It seems the RODI water Hanna sent me did the trick and my meter is now accurate. I'm thinking of shortening the photo period but having a bit more intense light in the process. Thoughts on this?


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