I have a red Montipora Capricornis and while it is growing it is not growing up but rather down, away for the light. Would this be a good indication that the LEDs I have are too strong. I have 32 white and 33 blue Cree LEDs in a heat sink that is 10 x 14” and there are four of these over the 300g tank. Currently the lights are at 55% and wondering if I need to lower them more.
Advice on light intensity
- Thread starter svb57
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cet98
Active member
how deep is the tank and how high above the water line is the LED fixtures?....IME LEDs give off a lot more PAR than you would think...
they have a tendency to look dimmer than we expect but have higher PAR values at the same time....
are you using lenses on your LEDs?.....
FWIW, using 60 or 90 degree lenses will intensify the light in a tighter diameter therefore increasing it's PAR value....without lenses the typical LED star has a 120 degree spread and will widen the light intensity while and thereby reduce the PAR value in a given area...
IMO you really need to take some PAR measurements in order to better determine if your light intensity is causing you any issues....
GL
they have a tendency to look dimmer than we expect but have higher PAR values at the same time....
are you using lenses on your LEDs?.....
FWIW, using 60 or 90 degree lenses will intensify the light in a tighter diameter therefore increasing it's PAR value....without lenses the typical LED star has a 120 degree spread and will widen the light intensity while and thereby reduce the PAR value in a given area...
IMO you really need to take some PAR measurements in order to better determine if your light intensity is causing you any issues....
GL
wld1783
New member
Can you be more specific on your lighting.
Cree LEDs have different Intensity Bins were the same 5 watt Royal Blue or Cool White can be 20% brighter. Also need to know drive current and specific optics.
This is what I use and may help
24 Cree XT-E Royal Blue Driven at 1000mA
6 Cree XP-E2 Blue Driven at 700mA
15 Cree XT-E Cool White Driven at 1000mA
Intensity Bins are top two either R4 or R5
Optics are Carclo Ripple Wide.
Heatsink is 18x8.46
The PAR is just under 500 at 24" or just a little more than a 400 watt Radium MH.
If your not running optics and only driving your lights at 400-550mA assuming 3-5 watt LEDs with average intensity bins you may be running less than a 250 watt MH. The only way to tell for sure is to rent a PAR Meter.
Photohinibition starts around 350-500 PAR I like to see at least 200PAR on the sand bed for Clams and Carpet Anonemes. This on a 30" deep tank puts the upper PAR levels at close to 1000. This is good as SPS Corals produce Photo Reflective Pigments to reflect this extra light.
IMHO Most are not acclimating properly and running their LEDs too low. The proof is some of the Best SPS Tanks I've seen use 400 watt MHs plus VHOs or the equivelant in LED Intensity.
Bill
www.reefledlights.com
Cree LEDs have different Intensity Bins were the same 5 watt Royal Blue or Cool White can be 20% brighter. Also need to know drive current and specific optics.
This is what I use and may help
24 Cree XT-E Royal Blue Driven at 1000mA
6 Cree XP-E2 Blue Driven at 700mA
15 Cree XT-E Cool White Driven at 1000mA
Intensity Bins are top two either R4 or R5
Optics are Carclo Ripple Wide.
Heatsink is 18x8.46
The PAR is just under 500 at 24" or just a little more than a 400 watt Radium MH.
If your not running optics and only driving your lights at 400-550mA assuming 3-5 watt LEDs with average intensity bins you may be running less than a 250 watt MH. The only way to tell for sure is to rent a PAR Meter.
Photohinibition starts around 350-500 PAR I like to see at least 200PAR on the sand bed for Clams and Carpet Anonemes. This on a 30" deep tank puts the upper PAR levels at close to 1000. This is good as SPS Corals produce Photo Reflective Pigments to reflect this extra light.
IMHO Most are not acclimating properly and running their LEDs too low. The proof is some of the Best SPS Tanks I've seen use 400 watt MHs plus VHOs or the equivelant in LED Intensity.
Bill
www.reefledlights.com
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snelly98
New member
I have a par meter and come through romeo everyday. Always looking to get my moneys worth out of it. I could lend a hand. I bought it because my sps were browning out. My par off my hydra 26 was very poor. I since got that par from mid 100 mid tank to 500 and growth and colors have now exploded
Sawdonkey
Premium member
I have had this exact problem for a long time. I've posted my issue on a couple of forums and everyone says the same thing......time, flow, or lighting. My monti caps grow down to the point of wrapping around the bottom of the rocks they are on.
-Time, this issue has been gong of for more than two years. I don't believe time is the problem.
-Flow, I have an RW20, a WP60, and a WP40 in my 220. I've rearranged these powerheads in all types of configurations. Nothing seems to change the monti growth pattern.
-Lights, I have only had LEDs, but I've had two different sets of lights. Same deal with both sets of lights. I used to have my monti caps in the center of my tank where the ligths were brighter. The really grew down. Now my caps are at the ends of my tank. They don't spiral, but they aren't growing straight down either. I had a huge red monti cap that I threw in my sump under a Home Depot household bulb that I'm guessing is about 3500K. Guess what, my monti cap in my sump is spiraling up!
My conclusion is that this is all lighting related. Montis reach up and spiral if they are not getting blasted by LEDs.
-Time, this issue has been gong of for more than two years. I don't believe time is the problem.
-Flow, I have an RW20, a WP60, and a WP40 in my 220. I've rearranged these powerheads in all types of configurations. Nothing seems to change the monti growth pattern.
-Lights, I have only had LEDs, but I've had two different sets of lights. Same deal with both sets of lights. I used to have my monti caps in the center of my tank where the ligths were brighter. The really grew down. Now my caps are at the ends of my tank. They don't spiral, but they aren't growing straight down either. I had a huge red monti cap that I threw in my sump under a Home Depot household bulb that I'm guessing is about 3500K. Guess what, my monti cap in my sump is spiraling up!
My conclusion is that this is all lighting related. Montis reach up and spiral if they are not getting blasted by LEDs.
wld1783
New member
Flow has a direct affect on SPS Coral
Corals on the Reef Crest experiencing strong flow are thicker this is very evident in Birdsnest were in the stronger flow areas of my tank form and branching is different than in lower flow areas.
Bill
www.reefledlights
taylor t
New member
Interesting. I wonder how they would grow keeping them in the sump, and changing the light to the one that made them grow down? Any possibility it's spectrum related?
Sawdonkey
Premium member
In my experience, the flow has had little to do with the growth. I know it impcacts the growth of corals in general, but relating specifically to my monti caps growing down, flow does not seem to impact them.
I think it has to do with either spectrum or intensity or both. My tank has 4 OR 247s and my sump just has an LED floodlamp like you'd use in your kitchen. Sump = yellowish low-powered light while DT = blueish high-powered light. The red cap has been in my sump for about six months and I can tell you that it is definiely growing up and spiraling. It's color is not vibrants, but it's growing like crazy.
I think it has to do with either spectrum or intensity or both. My tank has 4 OR 247s and my sump just has an LED floodlamp like you'd use in your kitchen. Sump = yellowish low-powered light while DT = blueish high-powered light. The red cap has been in my sump for about six months and I can tell you that it is definiely growing up and spiraling. It's color is not vibrants, but it's growing like crazy.