Taotronic LED strength...

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Flaxon-Waxon

Flaxon-Waxon

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Jun 22, 2012
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I have a Taotronic dimmable LED over my 40 breeder. Is this thing ridiculously strong or do I have parameter issues...

Just tested 0 ammo and 5-10 nitrate, doing a PWC now.

Im running blues on 30% and whites the lowest they'll go. Came home and most corals closed, mushrooms small, zenia looked angry, zoas mostly shut and hammer and frog retracted. I lowered the lights to the lowest they'll go blue now as well and things are looking better.

The light is 9" off of the water. I know breeders are shallow, but does this seem right??
 
LEDs penetrate water amazingly. Much more effective than bulb units. But before I point the finger, did you just put this guy up to replace another unit? What was replaced?
9 inches above the water can seem pretty standard. I believe that my Radions are 10-12 inches above the water...but don't remember off the top of my head.
The optics may also be a factor. After years with the Radions, I'm changing out the optics in them so the light isn't all focused straight down the tank.
 
Same light that's been on since inception. I did however, adjust the blues 2 clicks yesterday and think that may be the culprit. I'm gonna start back at lowest settings and ramp it back up over the next few weeks. I'm also considering nixing the whites altogether and just going blue during this time...
 
If I want to do higher light demanding corals, don't I need to acclimate my softies and LPS to that higher light?

I feel like this LED at the lowest setting shouldn't be pissing corals off, but because of the depth of the tank I believe that is the reason... The problem with that, is that with the lights so low, I have very dim coverage towards the sides of the tank, as an acan basically vaporized over the last week...
 
You will need to acclimate the corals to the lighting, but I'm not seeing why you are cutting out the whites for only blues. The loss of corals might be tied in, but I just simply don't know the time frame this tank has been set up.
 
2 months. And I will not cut the whites, was just bouncing ideas off the wall...

I just keep reading about how people "start at 75% blues, and 25% whites" (only an example) with these lights... I could by no means start there, it would melt every coral in the tank...
 
I agree with you there. I still feel the hundreds of dollars worth of coral I nuked when I upgraded to the 55 and Radions. From 4 bulb T5HO with bad bulbs to 100% Radions when I didn't set the intensity right.
As it stands in my tank, when I get new coral they start off just above the sandbed. I run them at 60% intensity and do a 4-5 week acclimation period on the tank starting at 50% intensity. Hoping that gives you some ideas?
 
It does thanks. I'm still baffled by the lowest setting on this light and how corals responds I guess it is what it is and I'll learn from it.
 
I am not convinced it's the light. Are you using the 120 degree optics or the 90? I run mine over my display 100% blue and 25% white (just because I like that color) and am growing sps everywhere in the tank. I keep mine 11" off of the water.
BTW, the blue and white ratio is personal taste- don't think the whites are stronger than the blues for some reason. They both (the white channel and the blue) give off around the same PAR.
 
I believe 90 degree. The light is the Tao TT-AL09, which looks like is currently unavailable so I can't find much info on Amazon.

Anyways, since I turned the blues down to a little less than they were last night, everything is back to normal.

I will add, however, I did a 5 gallon water change. Could parameters have been on the edge and came down to normal levels from this change, or was it in fact the light?

So many variables, so little time...
 
Yup that's it.



Also, I've seen my duncan coral completely close up, just to turn the lights lower and watch it open... Within minutes.
 
Ok, now I mentioned my acan going buh-bye... I saw 3 peppermint shrimp snacking on it's remains.

Do peppermint shrimp go rogue and eat corals??
 
I had the same lights and ended up burning every coral I owned. I had them set at the lowest either color could go too. I think I may be the only person to have bad luck with the tao units. lol I have since gone back to t5's and the new corals are doing just dandy now. :)

You can also put say a couple screens over the tank and remove them every week or so until the new corals are acclimated to the lighting.
 
carey said:
I had the same lights and ended up burning every coral I owned. I had them set at the lowest either color could go too. I think I may be the only person to have bad luck with the tao units. lol I have since gone back to t5's and the new corals are doing just dandy now. :)

You can also put say a couple screens over the tank and remove them every week or so until the new corals are acclimated to the lighting.
Click to expand...


What size tank was that on?
 
Ran tests today:

Temp: 79
PH: 7.8
Mag: 1360
Alk: 8.2
Calc: 435


Going to be dosing small amounts of alk once a day this week to bring it up. Not really in line with the lights, but may have figured out why the acans went south...
 
No reason to dose alk. Just fine. Dosing wen things are in acceptable range will just add to the problems when you chase "the perfect" number.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Sniperhank said:
No reason to dose alk. Just fine. Dosing wen things are in acceptable range will just add to the problems when you chase "the perfect" number.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
Click to expand...


+1. 8.2 is perfectly fine


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
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