ampemployee1
Member
I'm a relative newbe to the keeping of SPS, but have learned a lot from RC, and appreciate all the help this forum and other hobbyists have lent me.
Thought I would share some observations about my SPS/zoas under LED's over the last 18 months. I'm using an eshine LED fixture: 24 3watt CREE XP-G white and 24 3watt CREE XP-E royal blue. Photoperiod for white ramps up/down intensity from 0-60% over 8 hours (peak of 60% for 2 hours), and the blue over 10 hours up/down from 0-100%.
The fixture is sitting 10" above water line on a 57 gallon rimless. 2 BRS 1.1ml Dosing Randy's 2 part recipe #2, ATO with kalk, GFO in a reactor, skimmer, 2mp10's for flow NTM Mode, and 1262 for return,
System Parameters
Nitrate 0
pH: 8.3
Ca 430
Alk 8.4
Mg 1350
Phosphate: 0.04-0.06
I have a couple of millepora, stylophora, acropora (don't know the name), birdsnest, and a couple of other newer frags on the rack. I have a maroon clown, 2 dispar anthias, 3 lyretail anthias and a resplendent anthias along with some CUC. Sorry, for the iphone pix. Horrible! Most of the before after pics are from the last 6 months. Before the only SPS I was keeping were the pink and green birdsnests. Once I had success with keeping these beginner SPS, I started buying 1" frags and letting them grow out.
from April 2013
from Today
from April 2013
from Today
from April 2013
from Today
from June 2013
from Today
from April 2013 (some zoas)
from Today
My observations/outcomes:
1. Water parameter stability has been key. Particularly alk. Water changes, plus using Kalk in the ATO wasn't keeping pace with the Ca and Alk needs of the system. I added the BRS dosers; once I started dosing, I noticed a marked growth in SPS and PE. I feed my fish pellets on autofeeder 4x per day. I have been doing an experiment to see if feeding oyster feast 1x per day would make a difference for the SPS or if fish poop is enough. After 3 weeks, I think the oyster feast is making a difference in growth.
2. When I went above 60% white LED intensity, SPS PE and growth was reduced. Kept the blues ramped up to 100% at peak during the day for 6 hours, SPS seem happy. So I've settled on a peak output for the white LED's at 60%. I like that I don't have to change T5 bulbs out every 8 months. I like that I don't need a chiller. I like that I don't burn my arm while trying to clean my tank. I like the color that the LED's put out. Many of the more experienced reefers are talking about the benefit of full spectrum and a hybrid of T5 and LED's. I'm ok with the outcomes of the current set up but someday aspire to have the type of livestock they post pictures of. Maybe then it will make sense.
3. I've never had SPS under MH, so can't compare the growth rates, but based on what I've seen on RC, seems like others get better growth rates under MH/T5. The zoas really seem to thrive under the LED light. I used T5 on my system prior to the LED's and I'd say the growth rates are about the same for zoas. I can't keep the GSP from growing. My maroon clown likes to bite of chunks and spit them in different areas of the tank where it sprouts like crabgrass. I would never put GSP in a new system again.
4. Most sps frags that I add first encrust the plug it came on before growing out. I put the little frags on a rack that get's limited amount of light to acclimate the new piece after the coral dip. I just leave it on the rack until the base if fully encrusted then find a place to attach it in the system. The birdsnest seem to grow the fastest. The closer to the light the pinker the pink birdnest colors. I have some frags on the floor of my system, and these tend to be more orange.
Thanks again for everyone who shares their stories, experience and advice.
Thought I would share some observations about my SPS/zoas under LED's over the last 18 months. I'm using an eshine LED fixture: 24 3watt CREE XP-G white and 24 3watt CREE XP-E royal blue. Photoperiod for white ramps up/down intensity from 0-60% over 8 hours (peak of 60% for 2 hours), and the blue over 10 hours up/down from 0-100%.
The fixture is sitting 10" above water line on a 57 gallon rimless. 2 BRS 1.1ml Dosing Randy's 2 part recipe #2, ATO with kalk, GFO in a reactor, skimmer, 2mp10's for flow NTM Mode, and 1262 for return,
System Parameters
Nitrate 0
pH: 8.3
Ca 430
Alk 8.4
Mg 1350
Phosphate: 0.04-0.06
I have a couple of millepora, stylophora, acropora (don't know the name), birdsnest, and a couple of other newer frags on the rack. I have a maroon clown, 2 dispar anthias, 3 lyretail anthias and a resplendent anthias along with some CUC. Sorry, for the iphone pix. Horrible! Most of the before after pics are from the last 6 months. Before the only SPS I was keeping were the pink and green birdsnests. Once I had success with keeping these beginner SPS, I started buying 1" frags and letting them grow out.
from April 2013
from Today
from April 2013
from Today
from April 2013
from Today
from June 2013
from Today
from April 2013 (some zoas)
from Today
My observations/outcomes:
1. Water parameter stability has been key. Particularly alk. Water changes, plus using Kalk in the ATO wasn't keeping pace with the Ca and Alk needs of the system. I added the BRS dosers; once I started dosing, I noticed a marked growth in SPS and PE. I feed my fish pellets on autofeeder 4x per day. I have been doing an experiment to see if feeding oyster feast 1x per day would make a difference for the SPS or if fish poop is enough. After 3 weeks, I think the oyster feast is making a difference in growth.
2. When I went above 60% white LED intensity, SPS PE and growth was reduced. Kept the blues ramped up to 100% at peak during the day for 6 hours, SPS seem happy. So I've settled on a peak output for the white LED's at 60%. I like that I don't have to change T5 bulbs out every 8 months. I like that I don't need a chiller. I like that I don't burn my arm while trying to clean my tank. I like the color that the LED's put out. Many of the more experienced reefers are talking about the benefit of full spectrum and a hybrid of T5 and LED's. I'm ok with the outcomes of the current set up but someday aspire to have the type of livestock they post pictures of. Maybe then it will make sense.
3. I've never had SPS under MH, so can't compare the growth rates, but based on what I've seen on RC, seems like others get better growth rates under MH/T5. The zoas really seem to thrive under the LED light. I used T5 on my system prior to the LED's and I'd say the growth rates are about the same for zoas. I can't keep the GSP from growing. My maroon clown likes to bite of chunks and spit them in different areas of the tank where it sprouts like crabgrass. I would never put GSP in a new system again.
4. Most sps frags that I add first encrust the plug it came on before growing out. I put the little frags on a rack that get's limited amount of light to acclimate the new piece after the coral dip. I just leave it on the rack until the base if fully encrusted then find a place to attach it in the system. The birdsnest seem to grow the fastest. The closer to the light the pinker the pink birdnest colors. I have some frags on the floor of my system, and these tend to be more orange.
Thanks again for everyone who shares their stories, experience and advice.
