Wrong combo of lights?

Discussion in 'T5 Aquarium Lighting' started by Dr. Bergeron, Jun 3, 2010.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

  1. Dr. Bergeron

    Dr. Bergeron Peppermint Shrimp

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2009
    Messages:
    408
    Location:
    Lake Worth, FL
    In my nova extreme 6 bulb I have all geissmann bulbs. During the day I run 2 50/50 powerchrome, one blue +, and one daylight 10 k. For dusk cycles and for an hour during the day I have 2 pure acitinics come on. This is a 48" fixture over a 70 gal tank. My problem is that everything seems to be bleaching unless its shaded. Softies are receeding too. Once they get shade they seem to bounce back. The only things I've been able to grow no problem so far is a clam and an acro.

    What are your thoughts on this? Should I be using a different combo of bulbs instead of my current setup to cater to more corals? Or have I unknowingly purchased lighting only ideal for SPS corals?

    Id be interested in taking a PAR reading on my tank but alas I don't have a meter.

    Any comments welcome.

    Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk
     
  2. Click Here!

  3. Seano Hermano

    Seano Hermano Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2010
    Messages:
    10,056
    Location:
    Northwest Ohio
    Yeah it sounds like you have too much light, as far as PAR.
     
  4. WhiskyTango

    WhiskyTango Eyelash Blennie

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2009
    Messages:
    1,267
    Location:
    Dothan, Al
    That sounds bass ackwards. I use the same fixture like this with no issues and I use higher par ATI bulbs: 2 actinics run 14 hrs 7:30am-9:30pm, 3 daylight bulbs plus another actinic run 6 hrs 10am-4pm.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  5. Seano Hermano

    Seano Hermano Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2010
    Messages:
    10,056
    Location:
    Northwest Ohio
  6. 2in10

    2in10 Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2009
    Messages:
    19,258
    Location:
    Sparks, NV
    You will need to acclimate the lower light needing corals by shortening the daylight photo period to 4 hours or less and slowly increasing the period until it gets back to the length you desire.
     
  7. RHorton

    RHorton Pajama Cardinal

    Joined:
    May 11, 2007
    Messages:
    1,407
    Location:
    upstate NY
    Most softies don't need that extreem of light.

    +1 on that.
    You are going to have to start them in shaded areas to get them to bounce back.
     
  8. Click Here!

  9. WhiskyTango

    WhiskyTango Eyelash Blennie

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2009
    Messages:
    1,267
    Location:
    Dothan, Al
    zoanthelle utilize daylight, coral pigment (sunscreen) is increased by actinics.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  10. reefmonkey

    reefmonkey Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2010
    Messages:
    4,427
    Location:
    SE South Dakota
    Here's a chart that may help you determine the par your bulbs are giving. Don't know if you if your bulbs are even in it.
    par (tfivetesting)

    On another note I have to agree with WT. I use the same fixture and am putting alot of par into the tank. My softies have never bleached or hid from the light. They have morphed to other colors though.
     
  11. Dr. Bergeron

    Dr. Bergeron Peppermint Shrimp

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2009
    Messages:
    408
    Location:
    Lake Worth, FL
    Perhaps I don't have enough daylight bulbs? It sounds like right now you're using 3 10Ks while i'm using only 1. According to specs on the powerchrome + they're "A special 60:40 combination of 6000K and 22000K (approx) phosphor blend."

    I've done this when I first switched bulbs. Perhaps I'll have to do it again and see what happens?

    I just guess my main concern with this is that I'm not getting enough light in the right spectrum, or too much in another.

    Another interesting thing I noticed: I put some Ulva algae in my DT. On the sandbed It started washing out too and got a very light shade of lime green, but after I put this in the shade, it too colored back up. I'm assuming the reason for this is that the algae needed less chlorophyll to produce the energy it required.

    The Ulva in my Fuge is a nice healthy green color.


    Bottom line is that I think I'm going to re-acclimate my whole DT and see if that has any effect on things. I'd rather do that than switch out bulbs.

    Should this have any negative impact on the clams/acro that are currently doing well?
     
  12. WhiskyTango

    WhiskyTango Eyelash Blennie

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2009
    Messages:
    1,267
    Location:
    Dothan, Al
    I think your bulbs are fine. Just make sure you run the actinics all day along with 6 hrs of daylight, forget the dawn/dusk/1 hr during day.

    I run 2 ati AB, 2 ati blue+, 1 uvl superactinic, 1 kz Fiji purple.

    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk