coraline dying

[High Plains Reefer]

so i switched up my lights since i got a skkye lite 30w tablet that i mounted 1' above the middle of a 55g with center brace and turned off my 600w hps (mounted 3' above the tank) for a day or two and it seems my coraline started turning white do you think it is happier with the hps i'm getting a mh conversion bulb soon but this is going to have to make due for now

params

7.8 a-0 no2-0 no3-0 sg-1.025 @ 81 5:00 PM 10/24

dont have calcium or phosphate test kit yet

 

[Cherub]

Changing lights usually leads to a coraline die off then regrowth

 

[ReefCheif]

You could get some Purple Up, may help bring back what dies off much quicker. Ive never used it, but i know people who have.

 

[High Plains Reefer]

Is it to much light if I run them both?

 

[ReefCheif]

Do you have any coral?

 

[High Plains Reefer]

a small torch in the bottom and some zoas shrooms a sps that I think is dead

 

[High Plains Reefer]

[attachment=62722:name]
some pics if it helps

 

[ReefCheif]

I persoanlly dont think the 30w tablet is enough light for a 55 gallon, although Im no expert in LEDs, Im a MH kinda guy. I would give it a day or so and see how things progress. I would say if the coral is doing good under the new light, then leave it be, coraline will come back over time.

 

[JuanGutz]

No pro but the 30w led isn't enough lighting especially for a stony coral. You need probably two an for now I would run both lights.

 

[CRW Reef]

What ever you do, I would stop using the HPS bulb. The HPS is the wrong spectrum for coral reefs. Although perfect for growing indoor plants and nuisance algae HPS bulbs are typically as far as I know between 2000k and 3500k, which is much to low and much to yellow to keep color in coral. I believe most of us reefers use lighting in the 14000k to 20000k range for our displays and somewhere around 5500k for refugiums and sumps.

I could be wrong on this as well but the highest Kelvin MH conversion bulb I can find is a 6000k and is $100 +/-.

Now as for coraline algae, I run 240w LEDs on my 75g and my coraline has slowly depleted over time, while my coral begin to thrive more and more as time goes by. This is just my tank and how it is so I have no idea on others.

Hope this helps and as always this is all IMO and research

 

[Cherub]

oh yeah 30w isn't enough for your tank. Helps if I read the whole post. I had 2 120w over my 55 gallon tank. Now I have 360 watts over my 75 using 3w LEDs. 30w is something I would use in a sump for chaeto.

 

[High Plains Reefer]

sounds like it would be a good light for 20g for my warty im hoping to get the mh conversion bulb this weekend the hps is going to have to work for now

 

[JuanGutz]

sounds like it would be a good light for 20g for my warty im hoping to get the mh conversion bulb this weekend the hps is going to have to work for now

How long is your tank?

 

[High Plains Reefer]

20 long

 

[JuanGutz]

20 long

20" wide or long? Left to right not front to back just checking sorry idk but 20" for 55 is short to me :/

 

[High Plains Reefer]

my 55g is 48" long or whatever the standard 55 is my 20g long is what i was thinking on using it over i am going to put it together to get my warty out of my reef tank

 

[JuanGutz]

Gotcha that would be perfect I'd say ya.

 

[High Plains Reefer]

once i get my 120 going i was going to move the 600 over it and pick up a 400 for my 55 does this sound good?

 

[JuanGutz]

Sounds good but time will tell and how much did you pay for the tablet? Looking for some LEDs.

 

[CRW Reef]

Are you planning to grow corals? Did you find a hps to mh conversion bulb above 6000k? Not to judge or tell you what to do but I haven't met anyone that keeps a successful reef under high pressure sodium bulbs. You might want to consider power compacts, vho bulbs (t5), LEDs or switch to actual Mh ballasts.