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SPS Grown With LED : Testings, Thoughts, Ideas


DaveFason

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Once I let my tank age a little I've got some sps that'll be going in my tank with 2 11up's and 2 24w t5's and some added 430's. Hopefully I can add to the discussion here soon and add some input. My local store has Zoa's and sps getting pelted with 650-700 par consisting on 400w halides,t5's and ReefBrite XHO's and the Zoa's look amazing.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have found that the only LEDs worth a damn are violet and royal blue. Give me the rest as T5 bulbs. Also after having a full row of LEDs vs a puck I can't go back to the latter. Dave's beam strips are that damn good. Having a long strip of tightly packed LEDs means light is hitting everything from every direction.

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I can not agree 100%. On smaller tanks 30"X24" and under, pucks are fine. Going larger than that strips REALLY help. What about a unit that uses both pucks and strips. ;)

I have found that the only LEDs worth a damn are violet and royal blue. Give me the rest as T5 bulbs. Also after having a full row of LEDs vs a puck I can't go back to the latter. Dave's beam strips are that damn good. Having a long strip of tightly packed LEDs means light is hitting everything from every direction.

Small update below.

bump

Macro Shot : This is under mostly violet, royal blue, cyan and blue.

23098837824_fe2d94a8e4_z.jpgtricolormacro by Dave Fason, on Flickr

Pictured above is the coral below. It has changed to a whiter polyp, then purple tip to green base. This is getting 210-220 PAR now and medium flow.

22445251564_3b1ced25ff_z.jpgtricolorcloseweek4 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

 

Setosa : This thing is growing amazing. However this is an easy coral.

23098853754_2a7ab3d784_z.jpgsetosablue by Dave Fason, on Flickr

Tank is still cranking out great growth and color. I have had some color loss in certain corals due to me pushing it to much. I wanted to see what maxing out my violet channel would do and it did make a few SPS start to lighten up. I have bumped this back down and also slightly raised the light. I also decided to run the Tunze 9001 skimmer which has helped pulled some gunk with my heavy dosing of AcroPower and NYOS aminos.

 

Current tank conditions are :

ALK : 7.5 - I am going to raise to 8-8.5 to give a bit of a buffer if it lowers.

Cal : 430

 

I will bust out my Hanna PO4 reader and see what I am running. In this tank I also have a GIANT green Sinularia ( finger leather ). I am not sure if this effects some of the SPS when it slimes/sheds.

 

I am busting out orders tomorrow and Tuesday and then taking time Wednesday - Sunday. I will bust out the Tripod and macro and will snap a few new ones to update this completely. The Ice-Fire is looks insanely sexy. :)

 

-Dave

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Dave, im curious now. I have been worried to put the violet too high on my duo, as you just lowered it, what is it running at now? And does it run that percentage all day? Also, curious how high you raised the light? ( you used to be 4-5 inches above water if I remember correct).

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Dave, im curious now. I have been worried to put the violet too high on my duo, as you just lowered it, what is it running at now? And does it run that percentage all day? Also, curious how high you raised the light? ( you used to be 4-5 inches above water if I remember correct).

80%, pretty much that for 12 hours.

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Sorry if this isnt the proper thread to put this in but does any one have experience with Maxima clams under a Nanobox? How well does your clam do? Approximately where do you have it under your light? I've got SPS and LPS under mine and they do great but I'm looking to add a clam under a Duo and I was just wondering if anyone has had experience with it.

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Sorry if this isnt the proper thread to put this in but does any one have experience with Maxima clams under a Nanobox? How well does your clam do? Approximately where do you have it under your light? I've got SPS and LPS under mine and they do great but I'm looking to add a clam under a Duo and I was just wondering if anyone has had experience with it.

Easily. I have had this guy for a LONG time. It is now getting more light than before but I did have it ~20" away from my light ( Duo ) on the last tank. If your tank is newer, I would say wait a little bit until your around the six month mark. Hope this helps!

19747946016_e42daa7899_z.jpgUntitled by David Fason, on Flickr

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DaveFason, on 28 Dec 2015 - 08:54 AM, said:

Basser - I need to come your way and snap some macros!

 

Somebody does, because my photograpy skills are lacking. I feel intimidated by my wifes' fancy camera!!

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  • 4 weeks later...

I can not agree 100%. On smaller tanks 30"X24" and under, pucks are fine. Going larger than that strips REALLY help. What about a unit that uses both pucks and strips. ;)

So how would you lay this out on a larger tank? Lets say 48 x 24 x 24.

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So i have a retro in a BC14 and have started to add SPS. My setosa glows under these lights and I've had great growth. My Acans on the other hand are getting way to much light and changed color.. very drab. Anyway these lights sit about 3 inches off the water. What settings would you suggest being this close to the water and to get the best color out of the sps. I got a browned out one that i expect to take a while no matter what but I got a nice baby blue stag that has gone from baby blue to brown in just 2 weeks.

 

I'm running blue 140, white 50 but want to increase it. They come on at 10 and go off at 8 but have a full ramp time of 180 min.

 

thoughts?

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So i have a retro in a BC14 and have started to add SPS. My setosa glows under these lights and I've had great growth. My Acans on the other hand are getting way to much light and changed color.. very drab. Anyway these lights sit about 3 inches off the water. What settings would you suggest being this close to the water and to get the best color out of the sps. I got a browned out one that i expect to take a while no matter what but I got a nice baby blue stag that has gone from baby blue to brown in just 2 weeks.

 

I'm running blue 140, white 50 but want to increase it. They come on at 10 and go off at 8 but have a full ramp time of 180 min.

 

thoughts?

Try to "hide" the acans. I have moved them to almost all shade and they look better than ever. As for the stag it is hard to say. It could want more light ( are the polyps out? ) but also may need to check your parameters. Bump up the blues to 180 and whites to 75.

 

-Dave

 

So how would you lay this out on a larger tank? Lets say 48 x 24 x 24.

If you want all LED, two rows of BEAM strips ( 8 ) along with two rows of V3 arrays ( eight ) would be ideal. I am very confident you would have no issues with any type of SPS.

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When you say "hide the Acans... I moved them to almost all shade" would setting the Acans under a rock over hang be about the amount of shade you are aiming for? I have been having the same issue with Acans, they change to a much lighter color and then close up.

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When you say "hide the Acans... I moved them to almost all shade" would setting the Acans under a rock over hang be about the amount of shade you are aiming for? I have been having the same issue with Acans, they change to a much lighter color and then close up.

That would be ideal. I have mine in a good shaded section and a few on the outskirts of the Duo. Here is my favorite and the photo is 99% accurate in color.

23718592316_7f1bfcaca9_z.jpgUntitled by David Fason, on Flickr

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Thats my problem.. I do not have any area that really shaded at the moment and acquired a bunch of acans. I have a few sps coming in over the next few weeks but that does me no good until they grow out. I have my acans along the outside of the tank or next to the rock somewhat shaded the best I can. Looks like I'll just have to give it some time or rearrange the tank.. I don't want to do that.

 

My green and purples seem to be just fine in full light.. its anything that was red, pink, orange that can't take the bright light.

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Would, popping the acans into the corner of the tank be beneficial. Mine are - I believe - (super poofy floofy named: Aussie ultra superfly acan lords...) which are orange green and whatnot...

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Thats my problem.. I do not have any area that really shaded at the moment and acquired a bunch of acans. I have a few sps coming in over the next few weeks but that does me no good until they grow out. I have my acans along the outside of the tank or next to the rock somewhat shaded the best I can. Looks like I'll just have to give it some time or rearrange the tank.. I don't want to do that.

 

My green and purples seem to be just fine in full light.. its anything that was red, pink, orange that can't take the bright light.

Its my rockwork. I've created a nice open space in the middle and at this point there is too much light. There isn't any room anywhere else unless I take the rock out and change it up. I know in a BC 14 trying to get the best colors on Acans and Acros is going to be tough without the proper layout.

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Its my rockwork. I've created a nice open space in the middle and at this point there is too much light. There isn't any room anywhere else unless I take the rock out and change it up. I know in a BC 14 trying to get the best colors on Acans and Acros is going to be tough without the proper layout.

Play around with moving things around. Can you try to move the acans to the corners?

-Dave

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LEDs work.. And now that I have proper LED coverage due to adding another fixture I don't see a downside. Lets see how it goes!

For example before:

46CCC944-B4D6-48E4-B9E3-E06F23131CA0_zps


And after a few months with a LOT of parameters unsteady- only recently have they become stable:

1DCEA35C-1223-42E1-8623-3C3BC8D366E9_zps



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