Low light effect on sps

[steallife904]

I borrowed my clubs par meter today since I have never used on and came home to test it out in my tank... Well I was shocked at how low the par levels where. Top of rocks where I keep sps was around 130. Bottom of tank was like 30-40! I'm not sure if this is accurate or not since I have heard par meters are not accurate under LEDs. Anywho I have always thought my sps colors where very flat or pale.... Have I just found a possible reason? Should I slowly ramp up the intensity? What are side effects in sps with to low light?

 

[CoralNerd]

What leds are you running and what intensity? I borrowed a par meter and asked the question about par and leds and the guy I borrowed it from said it will work. Did you turn the pump's off?

 

[steallife904]

One of the LEDs is a reefbreeder photon 16, the other is an evo ts100. I also have retrofit t5 but they where off when testing and I did not have pump off. The max intensity on both LEDs is 50%

 

[steallife904]

really trying to determine what the effect on SPS would be if lighting was to low? Trying to see if my light intensity being to low has contributed to the colors not looking so great on my SPS?

 

[Reef Ruler]

Typically SPS will turn more of a pale brown looking color under low light conditions...as opposed to a bleach white if they're receiving too much light. I would slowly ramp up your lights, preferably over a multi-month period because with those PAR readings you're going to want to go up a lot.

Do you normally use your T5s? Just curious as to why you didn't have them on for PAR readings.

 

[steallife904]

that's the plan, bump up intensity a couple points each week for a few months. Im thinking this is the issue I have had.

T5s have only been added for about 2 months and only come on right now for 2 hrs during mid day. When they are on I turned the LEDS down. I did turn them on just to see and the par went up 50-70ish depending on the spot. I think I am going to go ahead and add another hour for the t5s as well for now. What do you think?

 

[Reef Ruler]

In general I think the recommended photo period is something like:

4 hour "sunrise" / gradual ramp up / in your case LEDs only?

4 hours of full strength / T5s and LEDs

4 hour "sunset" / gradual ramp down / LEDs only

I would work up to that over a few months. Just be careful and slow is good.