AI Prime Preset for Macro/Softie tank

[pacificnewt]

Hey all,

I wanted to know what AI prime preset others are using for their macro algae and softie tanks? I have been running two AI Prime 16s on my 20 gallon long for almost a year now and I’ve been following the David saxby preset. However, I’ve come to the conclusion that the lights are too strong and I don’t personally like the color they produce. The David Saxby preset is very blue heavy and I’m kind of tired of the whole room being blue and so is my fiancé. Plus many of my softies are always shriveled up until I put them under some shade. I recently set up a black box on my 40 gallon (Wills brand) and it produces a very white light but all my softies seem to be doing much better in that tank and I love the tone so much more (and more importantly, so does my fiancé!).

So my question is, is there any preset folks recommend that is less powerful AND more white (or at least less blue focused?)? I know I could DIY a schedule myself but I’m sure someone else out there has already made a great preset!

My tank is mostly sinularia, xenia, polyps, toadstools, various LPS, and tons of macro algae such as caulerpa and gracilaria. I really just want a more “natural” looking color palette without the strong blue hues.

 

[JNalley]

On your Saxby schedule, which is a proven spectrum, if you find it too blue, just add in more white to taste at each schedule point. To reduce the overall intensity simply have the whole schedule pulled up, put two fingers on the screen slightly apart from one another, and drag down. This will keep the chosen spectrum and reduce the overall intensity.

If your corals are hiding from the light though, you're best off renting a PAR meter and mapping your tank rather than shooting in the dark for something that "works". It could take a long while to actually find out where your coral prefer the intensity. For example, running 2 Hydra 26HD's over an 18" deep tank, I only had them at about 20% overall intensity on a mixed reef. They also had diffusers on them and the lenses removed (which reduces the light even further).

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Why not just turn up the whites a little? I have AI Prime on my 15 gallon softie tank, I set the whites at 30%, I don't like it too blue either.