LED light question?

[Jaketit]

So I have 2 of these over my 55. They are about 7 inches above the tank. They are not the dim able lights but I bought some house dimmers from the big box store and had a buddy wire them up for me. Now, I keep the blue turned up to 100 % and the whites are on about 75%. The live rock on the top of the tank is white while the bottom is purple. My calcium is 450 and everything else is perfect. My question is what percentage should I run these lights. I feel if I turn them up to high ill burn corals. For instance zoas on top, melting away, on the bottom, doing great. Acro near the top looks as if it is bleaching, but It looks like new growth, any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[oyf709]

it really depend on your coral to be honest. My zoath can thrive under 100% blast of CREE and no problem while some SPS could get sun burn. If you slowly adjust your light, you should be fine with your current setting or even at 80%. However, the lack of information for the fixture cannot give you a certain answer. The main reason coral are melt or sunburn is because the change in PAR. You will need to test your PAR reading to find out what is too much and what is enough.

 

[Jaketit]

They are 150 watt 55 3watt Cree. They are less than a year old and I just don't think I have them dialed in. I feel like my corals are burning but I don't want to turn them down too much because of my bta

 

[oyf709]

150W of cree is a lot. I usually suggest my client to go with 80% blue and only 10% white to start with and slowly move up. Your BTA wouldn't not having any issue for like couple weeks of lower lighting. Think about this way, just like cloudy days out in the ocean, I don't think anyone would promise it would be sunshine and sunny everyday. Also I don't think BTA need to have your 150W cree crank up to max anyways.

 

[Saratj1]

Also I've noticed when I do a large water change if the coraline algae is out of water for even a shot while it will die. I've had a line in my tank of white coraline algae from doing water changes.

 

[mr_X]

If it's burning your corals, it's more than your BTA needs. When you get it to the correct point to color and grow sps, you will also have plenty of light for an anemone.

 

[Sniperhank]

I had this issue with my Radions when I first got them. I literally burned everything in my tank to death from how strong they are. Tune it down and slowly bring things up over time. Try 50-50 and go from there.

 

[Jaketit]

Well I got a bta that was severely bleached and everyone told me with proper conditions and ample light it would come back. I gave it a month with no change. I removed him the other day before he nuked my tank. I bought a new one today that actually has color(green) because my clown wouldn't leave my candy cane alone. My water changes never go down to my rock so coraline never gets exposed to air. Except for what's in the glass but that's purple still.

 

[Jaketit]

I just look at the tank sometimes with the whites down low and it just looks like not enough light ( purplie) looking. I just can't find a happy median

 

[mr_X]

Acropora definitely needs more light than an anemone. I have a similar fixture to yours with Bridgelux LEDs and I grow SPS over 30" away from the fixture.

 

[Jaketit]

So should I move them down a bit? I bought one the other day that is nice and green and I don't want to scorch it. The previous on looks green at night under the actinic but brownish under both. Like I said there is new growth but it is not getting color for like 3 weeks now

 

[mr_X]

You can if you like. People fry more corals with LEDs. They are blaming it on this and that, but the truth is, they are much stronger than we assume. You can't go by the naked eye.

 

[Jaketit]

Thanks X. I must say, I've been seeing that profile pic for awhile now and it's awesome.

 

[Jaketit]

I mean its definitely too late for some of those zoo frags but I don't want to make my acros uncomfortable