Question about light switching from AI Prime 16 to XR15

[AHJZ]

Hi guys,

I have a Waterbox 25 set up for over 6 months. Recently I decided to switch from AI prime 16 hd to XR 15 Blue Gen 6 for a better spread and par. A month after, my sps started losing color and I wonder if this is because of the change in spectrum or just light intensity?

I used to run my ai prime at 100% intensity with adjusted ab+ Saxby spectrum and switched to 60% coral lab ab+ with the XR15.
Parameters:
Salinity: 1.025
Nitriate: 5
Phosphate: 0.03
KH: 7.2 - 7.5

This is how it looked like with Saxby:

After switching to XR15 and ab+ (overall intensity at 65% with the Radion diffuser on so approximately 55%):

Ok reefers, how should I adjust my intensity? I haven't got a chance to test my Par but I would assume XR15 provides higher par than a single Prime 16hd?

Thank you!

 

[Kyleovski]

I have an XR15 and a prime over my tank both at 100%. Ideally you'd want to set your intensity to whatever you want it at in the end then set the acclimation period to start at say 30% for 90 days or more (longer being less stressful to corals)

 

[Troylee]

Crank the 15 up they suck at par! You can run them at 100% and the corals won’t have issues.

 

[AHJZ]

I have an XR15 and a prime over my tank both at 100%. Ideally you'd want to set your intensity to whatever you want it at in the end then set the acclimation period to start at say 30% for 90 days or more (longer being less stressful to corals)

Yeah I did a 45 day acclimation starting from 40% to 60% intensity. And pic taken yesterday def shows the big change in color..

 

[AHJZ]

Crank the 15 up they suck at par! You can run them at 100% and the corals won’t have issues.

That's so true I'm going to test the par tomorrow and I doubt XR15 gives me any higher par than a single 16hd..
I expect maybe even less than 200 par on the top where my sps are

 

[MrGisonni]

I don't know I hate to say it but your corals look much better with the AI Primes. I just would never have imagined jacking that UV that high. But apparently it was working

 

[AHJZ]

I don't know I hate to say it but your corals look much better with the AI Primes. I just would never have imagined jacking that UV that high. But apparently it was working

I'd read lots of posts saying "why change if everything looks happy". But having that "UV lens melting one day" in my mind forced me to this step.
Tbh I wish I replaced it with a Hydra instead of Radion and stick with AI.

 

[Troylee]

I'd read lots of posts saying "why change if everything looks happy". But having that "UV lens melting one day" in my mind forced me to this step.
Tbh I wish I replaced it with a Hydra instead of Radion and stick with AI.

Sell it and buy a reefi uno it’s the same price and a killer light!

 

[MrGisonni]

Those Reefi light really do look great

 

[MrGisonni]

I am super jealous at how you made those yellows pop. I have a Goldenrod Anacropora like yours and it looks dull and washed out.

 

[X-37B]

I ran the 15 gen 5 blues with excellent results. The gen 6 from what I have read have less par.
Either way I ran ab+ at 100/100.
No problem growing anything I wanted.
My new ext 50 frag system will be 2 gen 5 15 blues.
Couple pics. You decide.

 

[AHJZ]

I think I've overestimated the XR15 and thought it'd give me way stronger par compared to a Prime 16.

Today I got the Par meter from LFS, here are some pictures maybe helpful for Nano tank owners!

Appearently the last pic shows the par I've been getting since I switched the light (I run it at 65% intensity with diffuser on).

Now I guess I know why my sps is losing color so quickly due to the par drop at the top part of the tank.

A funny thing is the diffuser seems like to drop some par except the top part of the tank. It mainly brings an overall better spread with approx 10% loss on par.

In conclusion, I decide to run it at 80% with diffuser on so all corals are happy (sps likely will need more but it hits the minimum I guess).

 

[Troylee]

I think I've overestimated the XR15 and thought it'd give me way stronger par compared to a Prime 16.

Today I got the Par meter from LFS, here are some pictures maybe helpful for Nano tank owners!

Appearently the last pic shows the par I've been getting since I switched the light (I run it at 65% intensity with diffuser on).

Now I guess I know why my sps is losing color so quickly due to the par drop at the top part of the tank.

A funny thing is the diffuser seems like to drop some par except the top part of the tank. It mainly brings an overall better spread with approx 10% loss on par.

In conclusion, I decide to run it at 80% with diffuser on so all corals are happy (sps likely will need more but it hits the minimum I guess).

Nope! They’re horrible at par…. Nice spread thou.

 

[officialreefbros]

How has it been settling in at the 80%? I just got an XR15 Blue to do the same thing on my 25g!

 

[AHJZ]

How has it been settling in at the 80%? I just got an XR15 Blue to do the same thing on my 25g!

I ended up keeping it at 90% with the diffuser on. That gives me about 250-300 par on the top and 150-200 for low-medium level. And corals seem to gain some color back!

 

[officialreefbros]

I ended up keeping it at 90% with the diffuser on. That gives me about 250-300 par on the top and 150-200 for low-medium level. And corals seem to gain some color back!

Awesome! Looks great

 

[AHJZ]

Awesome! Looks great

Thanks! I also added fish after going fishless for 8 months. Fishless is never a good choice haha