LED intensity

[brcolli2]

I have 2 18" acan 600 prisms over an 80 gallon rimless (48" x 24" x 16"). These lights allow me to adjust the intensity of the whites, blues and moonlights. How do I determine what is the best intensity to have these lights at. Is it just a matter of slowing turning up the intensity until my corals start to lose color?

 

Also, does anyone else have these lights? If so, could you tell me what you have yours set at, and how high above the sand bed you have them set at.

 

Thanks for any help.

Edited January 5, 2014 by brcolli2

[YHSublime]

I do not have those lights, but here is my experience with switching into LED's. As to not bleach any of my corals, I started with the light intensity very low (I think I did about 50%) I slowly turned it up daily and observed how my corals reacted. I think I'm at about 75-80% right now, but I noticed my zoas are stretching a bit at the bottom of my tank, so I have started slowly increasing the intensity again.

[BowieReefer84]

I do not have those lights, but here is my experience with switching into LED's. As to not bleach any of my corals, I started with the light intensity very low (I think I did about 50%) I slowly turned it up daily and observed how my corals reacted. I think I'm at about 75-80% right now, but I noticed my zoas are stretching a bit at the bottom of my tank, so I have started slowly increasing the intensity again.

Do they run at 75%-80% the entire time, or ramp up to that for a short period?  That's a key factor.  I run mine around 70%, but run them at this for 6 hours with no ramping up.

[YHSublime]

Do they run at 75%-80% the entire time, or ramp up to that for a short period?  That's a key factor.  I run mine around 70%, but run them at this for 6 hours with no ramping up.

 

Good question. I have them programmed to ramp up, and then down, but I've used that feature only once. On my way out the door in the mornings I turn them on to 75-80%. When I come home, I run just the blues for an hour or so. I try to run as close to normal day and night hours as possible, as the tank is close to a window.

[tomtom2245]

Part of it is also what color combination do you want. I like more blue so I have my blues turned up to about 90% and my whites are around 70-75%. I used to ramp up to this level but now they just turn on straight at this level. I also started out with all lights at around 50% and then gradually increased to this level over a month or so.

[brcolli2]

Part of it is also what color combination do you want. I like more blue so I have my blues turned up to about 90% and my whites are around 70-75%. I used to ramp up to this level but now they just turn on straight at this level. I also started out with all lights at around 50% and then gradually increased to this level over a month or so.

I like the look of the blues, but is the intensity of the blues simply a personal preference, or do they have an effect of the corals?  Currently I am only running my whites at 50%, how slowly should I increase the intensity of my whites?  Also, since I have a shallow tank am I probably going to want to run my lights at a lower intensity than 70-75%?  My lights are hanging 28" above the sand bed.

 

My lights have seven time settings.  I believe I have my lights running on the strongest intensity from 10a to 6p.

 

Thanks everyone for the help.