Dimmable T5 - What is your photoperiod like ?

[adamrs80]

I've have a 36" 4 lamp dimmable ATI sunpower and I'm curious if I'm running the lights too bright or not bright enough. My tank is a 42" x 18" x 16" deep and it seems like anything above 60% on both channels and the corals start to lighten up or bleach out a bit. My tank is shallow, I have an 1/8" glass lid and my light is 6" above the lid. I can't raise it higher, it's under a counter top. I'm curious what others are doing. My tank is all montiporas and two acros.

 

2 x Blue Plus

1 x Aquablue special

1 x Purple Plus

[Madisojo]

I would also be interested in what others are doing. I'm running a 6 lamp 24" sunpower over my 50 cube and I have been running my 4 bulb channel at 100% 9" above my tank

and my 2 bulb channel disabled.  running 2  ati actinic 1 blue plus and one purple plus and it seems like more than enough for my mixed coral 20" deep tank. I wonder what others

here may be using for bulb combinations and settings as well....

[Asureef]

On 5/25/2018 at 12:46 PM, adamrs80 said:

I've have a 36" 4 lamp dimmable ATI sunpower and I'm curious if I'm running the lights too bright or not bright enough. My tank is a 42" x 18" x 16" deep and it seems like anything above 60% on both channels and the corals start to lighten up or bleach out a bit. My tank is shallow, I have an 1/8" glass lid and my light is 6" above the lid. I can't raise it higher, it's under a counter top. I'm curious what others are doing. My tank is all montiporas and two acros.

 

2 x Blue Plus

1 x Aquablue special

1 x Purple Plus

 

With 4bulbs it shouldn’t be anything they can’t handle.  Maybe raise the fixture up to 12” above the rim.   Btw, how long is your photoperiod? 

[adamrs80]

The blues come on at 5:45 am, and turn off at 8:45 pm. That is a long photo period but they are at 10% for about 2 hours in the AM and again in the PM. I start them early and late mostly so I can actually see the tank a little because I leave for work early and get in late. In between the low level blue period in the morning and evening, starting around 8am and off at 7pm are the whites, and they ramp up and down during the day. The peak at 5:00 pm and it doesn't plateau, it simply peaks and begins to decrease from that point on.