Light acclimation

Jwheld · 09/07/2016, 05:16 PM

I've had my maxspect 420 light on settings 45%-A 45%-B for 4 hours a day for a few weeks. Do I lengthen this time, or go to higher intensity first? Lighting for LPS in particular frogspawn, hammer, fungia, and a mushroom.

billdogg · 09/07/2016, 05:41 PM

either will work out the same. I would set the time to where you want it and then ramp up the intensity from there if you need to. I am not familiar with that light, and it would also be dependent on what size your tank is. For my 120DT, I use 2 x AI Sol Blues set to 45W/65B/65RB on for 12 hours a day with a very short ramp up and a 30 minute ramp down at night

Ron Reefman · 09/08/2016, 05:13 AM

Well....

Your 4 hour run time is a bit short of best practice. Corals zooxanthellae do photosynthesis for about 5 to 7 hours. So it's best for the coral to give it at least 6 to 8 hours of good light. More than 8 hours is just for your viewing pleasure as the coral can't use it. Photosynthesis stops at 6 to 8 hours.

Intensity is really what you are acclimating your corals too. You should consider increasing the blue channel and not the white one. The zooxanthellae use mostly blue spectrum light for photosynthesis (and a tiny bit of red). They use small amounts of other spectrum to produce proteins and pigments that also help the coral, but they get all that from a small amount of white light. Bump up your blue channel by 5% points every week or two for a few bumps and then space the next couple at least 2 weeks or more apart.

How high you go depends on a huge variety of factors. How much light your fixture actually puts out (Maxspect makes good fixtures) and how deep your tank is. Take your time and you don't need to push the limits for the corals you mentioned. It's branching sps corals that are the really high demand for light.

Jwheld · 09/08/2016, 07:07 AM

Thanks for the input, I will extend the photoperiod and start to slowly ramp. It's a 40B so I'll take it slow.

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09/07/2016, 05:16 PM	#1
Jwheld Registered Member Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 106	Light acclimation I've had my maxspect 420 light on settings 45%-A 45%-B for 4 hours a day for a few weeks. Do I lengthen this time, or go to higher intensity first? Lighting for LPS in particular frogspawn, hammer, fungia, and a mushroom.

09/07/2016, 05:41 PM	#2
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	either will work out the same. I would set the time to where you want it and then ramp up the intensity from there if you need to. I am not familiar with that light, and it would also be dependent on what size your tank is. For my 120DT, I use 2 x AI Sol Blues set to 45W/65B/65RB on for 12 hours a day with a very short ramp up and a 30 minute ramp down at night __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

09/08/2016, 05:13 AM	#3
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	Well.... Your 4 hour run time is a bit short of best practice. Corals zooxanthellae do photosynthesis for about 5 to 7 hours. So it's best for the coral to give it at least 6 to 8 hours of good light. More than 8 hours is just for your viewing pleasure as the coral can't use it. Photosynthesis stops at 6 to 8 hours. Intensity is really what you are acclimating your corals too. You should consider increasing the blue channel and not the white one. The zooxanthellae use mostly blue spectrum light for photosynthesis (and a tiny bit of red). They use small amounts of other spectrum to produce proteins and pigments that also help the coral, but they get all that from a small amount of white light. Bump up your blue channel by 5% points every week or two for a few bumps and then space the next couple at least 2 weeks or more apart. How high you go depends on a huge variety of factors. How much light your fixture actually puts out (Maxspect makes good fixtures) and how deep your tank is. Take your time and you don't need to push the limits for the corals you mentioned. It's branching sps corals that are the really high demand for light. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

09/08/2016, 07:07 AM	#4
Jwheld Registered Member Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 106	Thanks for the input, I will extend the photoperiod and start to slowly ramp. It's a 40B so I'll take it slow. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk