Opinions on my PAR values and schedule?

Cassian · Apr 15, 2024

Hey everyone! I’ve done a lot of research on lighting and par values but still feel a little lost. So I’m seeking help from you guys. Are these par values ok? How does my light cycle look? Would it be ok to add in a few more hours of moon lights at night?

Info:
Currently using the WWC 100g mixed reef preset with a slight tweak to extend daylight (white light) hours to 4 hrs total and added a ramp down to blues instead of a straight drop
Radion xr30 gen 4 with diffuser
Biocube 32, clear mesh lid on top
12 hour total cycle including night time lighting

I’m wanting to do mixed reef with primarily sps (acros and assorted sticks)

JNalley · Apr 15, 2024

PAR Values look ok for a mixed reef with Acros and high light SPS at the top, you have some room for middle ground corals too, and your sandbed/lower tank looks pretty good for LPS and Softies... Play with placement when you get the frags. Generally, I put a frag rack in my tank and let them acclimate to the water lower down for a couple days/no more than a week, then I start placing things where I want to place them and see how they respond to the lighting. If they're opening up, I leave them there for a week before I choose to mount.

As for lighting schedule, I have a 1 hour dawn period that brings lights up to 5%, then a ramp from 5% - 15% that lasts 2 hours, 15% - 25% (my peak lighting) that lasts another 2 hours. I keep it at 25% for 4 hours, then reverse everything back down, giving me 14 hours of light. At night, I have my lights follow the moon cycle using the built in feature on the Kessil App, and it lasts all night, from "sundown" to "sun up".

Cassian · Apr 16, 2024

JNalley said:
PAR Values look ok for a mixed reef with Acros and high light SPS at the top, you have some room for middle ground corals too, and your sandbed/lower tank looks pretty good for LPS and Softies... Play with placement when you get the frags. Generally, I put a frag rack in my tank and let them acclimate to the water lower down for a couple days/no more than a week, then I start placing things where I want to place them and see how they respond to the lighting. If they're opening up, I leave them there for a week before I choose to mount.

As for lighting schedule, I have a 1 hour dawn period that brings lights up to 5%, then a ramp from 5% - 15% that lasts 2 hours, 15% - 25% (my peak lighting) that lasts another 2 hours. I keep it at 25% for 4 hours, then reverse everything back down, giving me 14 hours of light. At night, I have my lights follow the moon cycle using the built in feature on the Kessil App, and it lasts all night, from "sundown" to "sun up".

Thank you! I’ll have to play around with the schedule then, I wish the radions had a moon cycle option, that’s neat!

JNalley · Apr 16, 2024

Cassian said:
Thank you! I’ll have to play around with the schedule then, I wish the radions had a moon cycle option, that’s neat!

the funny thing is, AquaIllumination has Moon Cycles on their lights, and EcoTech bought them, so it shouldn't be too difficult for them to do, they just don't, heh.