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Innovative Marine Aquariums

Some issues with my new LEDs, help me diagnose


malawian

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So let me say first, I dont have a PAR meter, Im trying to get access to one but money is really tight for me right at this moment and Im not sure if I can afford it right now.

 

My light over my 75g tank looks fantastic, I love the coloration I get out of it, but my corals dont seem super happy, and I think it may be the light.

 

Composition:

6 true violet (2.25 watt)

6 ocean coral white 3-up (red-green-cyan) (2.25 watt each)

30 Royal blue (3 watt)

18 Neutral white (3 watt)

everything on their own dimmable channels

3 ups and violets have no optics, RB and NW have 60* optics (see below)

everything arranged into 6 clusters

 

tank is 48 wide x 18 wide x 21 tall (so its kind of deep)

 

 

For one thing, I have very powerful shadows that are cast. When a coral casts a shadow on itself it dies in that spot. I know this is normal to an extent (the base of a coral always dies once it gets big and no light gets to the bottom of it) but this is extreme. Anything that is not perfectly, directly in the light dies. I didnt seem to have this problem with my previous light fixture and the only real difference I could think of was that my previous build had no optics at all. As such, I decided to remove the optics from 2 of 5 RB and 1 of 3 NW in each cluster with the hope of casting more light in all directions, it didnt seem to help the shadows as far as i could tell.

 

The TV and the 3 ups are all close to being at full strength, the NW and RB are at about 55% and 60% respectively at their peak. Lights are on for 10 hours with a 2 hour ramp on either end (the TV and 3 up come on at the end of the ramp).

 

So what do you think:

too much light or too little?

opinions on the optics? optics on everything, on some things (like I do now) or no optics?

 

Thanks guys, its really tough to know what the problem is without something to compare to.

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21 is not deep, really.

 

Take off your optics.

 

Diffuse your light with a light diffuser. Lower your light closer to tank if you must. Inverse square rule applies, half the distance quadruple the light, double the distance quarter the light.

 

Some pics would be nice to see how you're set up. We dont know if youre on two or three separate heatsinks or one long 48in long heatsink. No mention of how they are powered, if you have 300ma or 1000ma going to an LED.

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21 is not deep, really.

 

Take off your optics.

 

Diffuse your light with a light diffuser. Lower your light closer to tank if you must. Inverse square rule applies, half the distance quadruple the light, double the distance quarter the light.

 

Some pics would be nice to see how you're set up. We dont know if youre on two or three separate heatsinks or one long 48in long heatsink. No mention of how they are powered, if you have 300ma or 1000ma going to an LED.

 

true ok. If you want pictures this link is pretty comprehensive:

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/301644-the-athenian-reef-7529-update-2314/?p=4595361

 

to answer your other questions, light is about 10" from the surface of the water (ill confirm that when I get home). Lights are on 2 18" heat sinks, see the pictures for a better explanation of how the clusters are set up.

 

The 3-ups and TV LEDs are all being run at 700ma and the primary RB are at 940ma and NW are at 1000ma.

 

I guess my fear was that without optics you would have tons of light at the top and not nearly as much at the bottom, but maybe my fear is more substantial than reality. Good to hear I probably dont need the optics, I think I would rather not use them.

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You haven't really specified what corals you have, and which ones you think aren't happy. The tissue death on the sps from shadowing is par for the course. Removing the optics will help some, but it's an inevitability really. Is it just the sps that aren't looking good? Are they bleaching, or is it just the shadowing issue? What about lps and softies? Please be a little more specific.

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I would go down to Home Depot and get a 48x24 light diffuser panel. Either the opaque kind, or that diamond plate kind. The sheets for fluorescent ceiling lights.

 

Take off the optics. I would move the fixture closer to the water, but that hood thing seems like that would be a lot of work.

 

Put the diffuser on that hood thing you have, under the LEDs. You could just set it on top of the tank, but you have a wife to nag at that being an eyesore.

 

And turn up my LEDs 10%, to account for light lost through diffuser sheet.

 

And see what happens to the coral over the next two weeks.

 

And if you have STN, like it sounds like you do, I would CA glue all of it down hardcore.

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If that doesnt work, I would not add more LED.

 

I would retro 4 T5 tubes up in that hood, 2 in front, and 2 in back.

 

 

What I would want to do is reduce the darkness(contrast) in those shadow areas. That requires more diffused light, not really more light.

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You haven't really specified what corals you have, and which ones you think aren't happy. The tissue death on the sps from shadowing is par for the course. Removing the optics will help some, but it's an inevitability really. Is it just the sps that aren't looking good? Are they bleaching, or is it just the shadowing issue? What about lps and softies? Please be a little more specific.

 

Haha, and I thought I was being specific! lol, i guess I didnt include a lot of important details.

 

Its the SPS which are unhappiest, mainly a bali slimer kind of in the center of the tank is really really unhappy and has the worst of the shadowing problem. Another SPS thats very high up is not happy, a blue acro died completely (but it was always very weird and grew about 1/4" in a year), a white staghorn grows like a weed as it always does, a monti cap is growing ok, a pink mille is more or less ok, some others are not doing awesome but are at least ok, all are in the top half of the tank. I will say part of the bali slimer getting shadowed so badly is because I mounted the coral sideways-ish in comparison to how it had been growing in hopes of growing a colony with a nice wide base but perhaps this idea was a bad one. I know some shadowing death will happen, i just feel like there is ALOT more of it in this tank than there was in my BC29 which had LEDs over it.

 

I do have some LPS which are unhappy. a closed brain higher up in the tank does not seem happy at all and a frogspawn at the bottom seems pretty pissed about half the time (and one head is dying but has held on for a while). But two other frogspawn colonies of different types and a torch all seem SUPER happy at the bottom of the tank.

 

I would go down to Home Depot and get a 48x24 light diffuser.

 

Take off the optics. I would move the fixture closer to the water, but that hood thing seems like that would be a lot of work.

 

Put the diffuser on that hood thing you have, under the LEDs. You could just set it on top of the tank, but you have a wife to nag at that being an eyesore.

 

And turn up my LEDs 10%, to account for light lost through diffuser sheet.

 

And see what happens to the coral over the next two weeks.

 

And if you have STN, like it sounds like you do, I would CA glue all of it down hardcore.

 

I like the idea of a diffuser honestly, I think that would make the light look a lot nicer. Im not sure what the CA glue comment is referring to.

 

Youre using ELNs to power those RBs?

 

And you have them set at 940?

LPF 60D-30 and LPF 90D-48. The 60D is 2.0 amp the 90D is 1.88 amp, everything is in parallel. 3-ups and TV are on single steve's LED drivers running off a DC power supply.

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I hate to ask the obvious, but how are your water parameters?

 

The removal of the lenses and adding a diffuser will help some, but it won't completely fix the shadowing issue. Growth is going to be more down to flow and water parameters than light. Unless your sps are bleaching or browning, then you need to start looking at other things other than your lighting.

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Anyways, second thoughts.

 

You have glass over that tank, remove it. It absorbs 5% of your light right there. Put white eggcrate in its place. Nothing wrong with 2 diffusers, photographers use double diffused lights all the time.

 

Instead of T5 tube retro. You can get 48in tube heatsinks with diffusers built right in, ali baba sells thousands of different kinds.

 

You can make your own BML LED style tubes then yourself. Run each one on a MeanWell HLG driver, controlled by your ALC modules.

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Im not sure what the CA glue comment is referring to.

 

 

LPF 60D-30 and LPF 90D-48. The 60D is 2.0 amp the 90D is 1.88 amp, everything is in parallel. 3-ups and TV are on single steve's LED drivers running off a DC power supply.

When you start to notice Slow Tissue Necrosis, tissue loss, get your crazy glue cyanacrylate (CA) glue and cover over the dead area and a small margin of living tissue. The coral usually responds like it's just been fragged, and starts to grow over the CA glue base. Like a firefighter will set a backfire to contain the real problem.

 

Those RBs can run at 1500mA, Thats just a lot of potential blue light you're leaving alone, was my thinking. Of course running low extends the life and minimizes need for active cooling.

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Removed all the optics, I think the tank just looks better overall without them, so theres that. I do think shadows arent quite as strong as they were. dont think it helped the corals much though. Havent had a chance to get out to the hardware store and get a diffuser, hopefully tomorrow.

 

 

I hate to ask the obvious, but how are your water parameters?

 

The removal of the lenses and adding a diffuser will help some, but it won't completely fix the shadowing issue. Growth is going to be more down to flow and water parameters than light. Unless your sps are bleaching or browning, then you need to start looking at other things other than your lighting.

 

params are good as far as the main stuff goes. thought maybe it could be a trace element thing since I hadnt done a water change in a while. Did like a 15% change but the slimer doesnt look any happier. every other SPS look at least ok (granulosa doesnt seem overjoyed but ok, and it is growing) everything else ranges from ok to outstanding. damn slimer, easiest SPS in the tank other than a staghorn that grows like bamboo on crack, is the only thing really pissed off...

 

Anyways, second thoughts.

You have glass over that tank, remove it. It absorbs 5% of your light right there. Put white eggcrate in its place. Nothing wrong with 2 diffusers, photographers use double diffused lights all the time.

Instead of T5 tube retro. You can get 48in tube heatsinks with diffusers built right in, ali baba sells thousands of different kinds.

You can make your own BML LED style tubes then yourself. Run each one on a MeanWell HLG driver, controlled by your ALC modules.

 

Considering my LEDs are at less than 50% already I dont think I need to worry much about losing 5% do I? I do really like the idea of adding some T5s, I think that would look amazing, definitely dont have the funds right now but one day...

 

 

When you start to notice Slow Tissue Necrosis, tissue loss, get your crazy glue cyanacrylate (CA) glue and cover over the dead area and a small margin of living tissue. The coral usually responds like it's just been fragged, and starts to grow over the CA glue base. Like a firefighter will set a backfire to contain the real problem.

Those RBs can run at 1500mA, Thats just a lot of potential blue light you're leaving alone, was my thinking. Of course running low extends the life and minimizes need for active cooling.

 

Might need to do that, idk. Never had a coral act like this before. As for the RBs being run higher, I know they can, it was a money issue at the time and now I just really dont need the extra power.

 

 

Do you think I should move it? it is dead center in the tank (between the two LED plates). maybe its not getting enough light where it is? somehow I doubt it, esp. considering it did ok there for a good while. Still had the shadowing problem but the lit parts of the coral were super happy.

 

In an effort to eliminate any possibilities, my wife and I are setting out on a project to feed every fish until theyre fit to burst (luckily my filtration is built for a tank the size of a swimming pool). I want to make sure its not one of the angels or the tang getting frisky. Ive seen them nip at an SPS here and there if they havent been fed in a couple days but they dont touch them when theyre fed real well so Im trying to make sure thats not the issue. If it is thats an easy fix.

 

Thanks for the help guys!

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So I changed water, I double checked params, nitrate is at .75 ppm phosphate at .04 ppm so not crazy clean but pretty much where I want it for the clam. Ca, Mg, and Alk are all good. Corals still not happy, and clam even less so.

 

I added the diffuser, if nothing else it looks nice I think.

 

Thoughts? I broke down and got a PAR meter, should I take any steps to minimize damage until it arrives?

 

I included pics. The slimer thats hurting is in the middle, I included a FTS and closer shot of the slimer. Color is terrible, just a fast phone pic but the important thing is the placement (and the fact that this coral looks practically bare). EDIT: took some better pics.

 

post-62384-0-81514200-1397528258_thumb.jpg

post-62384-0-41435800-1397528266_thumb.jpg

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Anyways, second thoughts.

You have glass over that tank, remove it. It absorbs 5% of your light right there. Put white eggcrate in its place. Nothing wrong with 2 diffusers, photographers use double diffused lights all the time.

Instead of T5 tube retro. You can get 48in tube heatsinks with diffusers built right in, ali baba sells thousands of different kinds.

You can make your own BML LED style tubes then yourself. Run each one on a MeanWell HLG driver, controlled by your ALC modules.

 

Look very closely at the eggcrate diffusser panels. The leading edge on one side is thicker than on the other side. When thin side down, it acts as a diffuser. When thick side is down, it intensives.

Patrick

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