Zoas won’t open

[LordofCinder]

NICREW Aquarium LED Reef Light, Dimmable Full Spectrum Marine LED for Saltwater Coral Fish Tanks​

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Its not my money so its up to you, but says right in the description it will not work on your tank. It is for depth 24", you have 36" depth, thats 3 feet of water for light to penetrate. You need Strong light for that,

 

[Koh23]

All of you guys that recommend new lights...you may be right, but please....

I will repeat my question, is 180w led + 216w t5 lights too weak for zoas?

 

[Rmckoy]

I agree. Not great to go off of watts per gallon. If you don't have a par meter, go with lights that are well known here and read up on the par studies that other people have done.

Cheaper good led lights often seen here are viparspectra, noopsyche, smatfarms....

I have 3 of the old black boxes . Knowing they work. But I have never used leds . They came with my current tank.

That being said I remember reading they are over powered but not the correct light . Not programable

 

[Rmckoy]

All of you guys that recommend new lights...you may be right, but please....

I will repeat my question, is 180w led + 216w t5 lights too weak for zoas?

The 36”
Depth is the questionable part .
most tanks are not that deep

I read in another post even 54watt t5’s with 8 bulbs will have little par at the bottom of a tank greater than 24”

 

[Fishology]

So I remeasured the tank as they were off the top of my head they were all correct minus the height which was 30 sorry for the mess up

 

[Koh23]

The 36”
Depth is the questionable part .
most tanks are not that deep

I read in another post even 54watt t5’s with 8 bulbs will have little par at the bottom of a tank greater than 24”

Agree. But, my tank is 24" deep. And with all that light, zoas are streching, and looking very bad.....

 

[mermaid_life]

Agree. But, my tank is 24" deep. And with all that light, zoas are streching, and looking very bad.....

I may have missed this but your issue could be different from OP's issue.

 

[Koh23]

That is my point.

Changing the lights will probably solve problem, i was just pointing that zoas sometimes behave exactly like op, and low or unadequate light is not a problem

 

[mermaid_life]

That is my point.

Changing the lights will probably solve problem, i was just pointing that zoas sometimes behave exactly like op, and low or unadequate light is not a problem

True, but he already said the lights he's using was the wrong one pretty early on so....... Just trying to help find one that is the correct one.

 

[Dom]

So doing more research I found the exact light I bought it was a saltwater
Light for necrew, it produces thirty two watts so by theory if I buy a light that has 20 to 30precent more watts it should be enough correct

As a general rule, the light you choose needs to provide 5 watts per gallon. So in a 40 gallon tall, you need a light that provides 200 watts.

 

[Koh23]

Apologies, seems that i missed that....

W per g is uselles when led lights are used.

 

[Dom]

W per g is uselles when led lights are used.

Why? Please explain.

 

[Koh23]

Well....

Lets say, u have 100g tank. By your math, one will need 500w led lights over it.

Did u noticed anyone here who acctualy have 500w light over tanks?

Yes, they are multiple lights over tank, but, i missed that anyone have 5 units and runs them at 100%...

But, maybe u are right....

 

[Rmckoy]

Attached are 2 pictures .
1 is at the top of my tank about 12” below 8 t5’s

the other is at the bottom 27” down but I believe even the ones at the bottom are happy
Mind you they are palys and not zoas

 

[damsels are not mean]

Why? Please explain.

wpg is an old way of figuring it out based on much less efficient light sources. Going by WPG the ecotech radion xr15 isn't bright enough for even a 30gal and that's obviously silly...

 

[Fishology]

okay to get back with you guys I did more research on the light I have, it is made of saltwater but the amount of watts it produces it not enough for my growing corals. It makes around 30watts and is for corals who need very little light, but since my tank is the traditional dimensions of a 40gallon, as it’s 30H x 28.5Lx11.5w yOu need two of these lights for the depth I have. So now that I know this I can either buy another one and have two running or buy a more powerful light.