In need of a light meter... LED... suggestions?

doch · #1 04-09-2012, 07:04 AM

Since I've switched to LED and added an angel I've lost almost all of my SPS. I'd like to get (or better yet, borrow) a meter that will tell me if my lights are ok in order to rule them out. I'm running 4 AI Sol super blues 12" above a 48(w)X30(d)X26(h).... From the AI recommendations, this should be fine.... but I'm having issues. I need to narrow down the problem. Anybody have a meter that I could use... or rent for a short while? Or if not, any suggestions for a good meter for LED?

Aquattro · #2 04-09-2012, 11:54 AM

Can you define "lost"? Browned out? STN?

Bblinks · #3 04-09-2012, 09:00 PM

Angel eh? very brave.... I know a friend who shut down his amazing 250 because of 2 dwarf angles snaking on his sps, but that will mostly be just the tips. Anyways as Brad mentioned on his post what kind of "lost" is it. Maybe some pictures will help, pre and post.

tang daddy · #4 04-10-2012, 01:45 AM

Led are very intense, they may look dim to the eye but they'll definitely bleach sps, I know mine did.... You have to acclimate your Sps to led you can't just hook them up and turn it to full. I made a mistake when first getting led running them at 80%, montis and digi all bleached and never recovered. I run my sols at 30% just slowly raised it to 40% on the whites, blue and rb is 75%.

doch · #5 04-10-2012, 05:34 AM

I appologize for the missing details. I actually have a swperate thread asking about the detailed portions of this problem.

Here's the quick and dirty:
It's a Majestic angel... supposedly one of the least risky of the angels
The 'lost' corals are generally STN. For the most part they have started dying from the base up, but there have been a few that have gone from the tips down. One of my only surviving SPS has anihilated tips, but seems healthy other than that... except no PE.
Colours have gone down the toilet... nothing is vibrant anymore.
I may have started my LEDs a little too fast... started at 30% and worked my way up to 80%... 5% every 3-5 days. ONce Istarted having issues, I turned them down to about 50% and worked my way up a lote slower. I now have them at 70%. Keep in mind that they are 12+ inches above the water line, and I'm only running 4 on a 48x30. This is why I'd like to get a meter. I'd like to find out if they are too strong, not strong enough, or OK. If they are OK, then maybe I can try another round of SPS...? Maybe it's as simple as them not being able to recover??

Something else to mention... my LPS are doing fine, and my clams and Zoas look better than ever. I'm at a loss... had I not spent $5K+ in the last year, I'd likely throw in the towel. Given the investment, and the fact that it's pretty much built into the basement, my wife would likely slit my throat.... so I'll tough it out.

doch · #6 04-11-2012, 03:18 PM

No suggestions???

RuGlu6 · #7 04-11-2012, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doch

No suggestions???

how long since you are running ZEO?
I know of a couple of tanks (including my own SPS tank) that were long established (new tank OK) and then started zeo and lost a lot of SPS. My tank lost about 450$+ worth of SPS in one week. It all looked OK for a while after zeo was started and then all SPS (most colored once) were just gone.

Also 4(!) AI modules might be a reason as pple mentioned before.