Need Help BioCube 29 Lighting Question

Tervos · 08/30/2017, 06:57 AM

Hello I've had a Biocube 29 for about 4 years now and in the tank I have just zoas, a plate coral, frogspawn, Ricordea, a Rose BT anemone and a chalice. I have noticed that some of them have been bleaching over some time Im talking a month to a month and a half started to show and I started to freak out I dont know why i keep testing my water and these are my perimeters 1.025 sg 8.25 pH 10 kH 480 ppm Ca. I think the Ca might be a little bit to high but I dont believe that this could be it. I thought it was temp but the tank is at 74 to 76 all time. So then I started to realize its gotta be the LED the white lights are just completely dimming out on me and really only have the blues left.

Im think this has got to be it for the slowness of bleaching because i believe everything else seems to be in order.

So I was wondering what you would suggest on a light fixture for this biocube 29? I am think of taking the top off and going with this.

https://www.marinedepot.com/Aqua_Ill...LTFILD-vi.html

Thanks any suggests would help

ReefWreak · 08/30/2017, 07:10 AM

If you want to replace the lights, the AI Prime HD would be a good choice. If you prefer to keep the hood, I would recommend checking out some of the retrofit kits available (my preference is the RapidLED solderless dimmable retrofit, but Steves LEDs are a solid choice as well).

Knowing that white LEDs don't provide much of the PAR that corals need with LEDs (Contrary to metal halide and fluorescent [T5] lighting, blue LEDs are the PAR drivers, not as much the other colors), the white LEDs dimming out would not likely be the problem.

Usually when corals aren't getting enough light, they turn brown, not white. The exception to this is if they've always been brown (indicate that they were just barely hanging on) and are now turning white (giving up the fight, and dying).

Your parameters are generally fine (alkalinity and calcium are a little high, but no harm there), but really what you need to be careful/cautious of is changing anything quickly. Is your tank at 74-76 all day? Does it go to 68 at night, or swing to 80 during the day? Have you done a water change in the last few weeks with a new source of water (or a new salt)?

What are your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and phosphate levels? Have those been swinging around (less likely to see a direct impact other than algae blooms or bleaching). Did you recently add GFO or lanthanum chloride to lower phosphates? Did you recently change out carbon?

I wouldn't blame bleaching on too little lighting, again unless you've been consistently at the low end of lighting intensity for a long time (brown corals). Bleaching from light usually only happens when it's too much light too quickly (i.e. changing lighting sources without going through a lighting acclimation cycle and slowly ramping new lights [particularly with LEDs] up slowly over a few weeks).

I hope that helps.

Kolkri · 08/30/2017, 11:05 AM

This is what I have one mine. I love how user friendly it is to work. https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/superlux/

08/30/2017, 06:57 AM	#1
Tervos Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 61	Need Help BioCube 29 Lighting Question Hello I've had a Biocube 29 for about 4 years now and in the tank I have just zoas, a plate coral, frogspawn, Ricordea, a Rose BT anemone and a chalice. I have noticed that some of them have been bleaching over some time Im talking a month to a month and a half started to show and I started to freak out I dont know why i keep testing my water and these are my perimeters 1.025 sg 8.25 pH 10 kH 480 ppm Ca. I think the Ca might be a little bit to high but I dont believe that this could be it. I thought it was temp but the tank is at 74 to 76 all time. So then I started to realize its gotta be the LED the white lights are just completely dimming out on me and really only have the blues left. Im think this has got to be it for the slowness of bleaching because i believe everything else seems to be in order. So I was wondering what you would suggest on a light fixture for this biocube 29? I am think of taking the top off and going with this. https://www.marinedepot.com/Aqua_Ill...LTFILD-vi.html Thanks any suggests would help

08/30/2017, 11:05 AM	#3
Kolkri Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: United States Posts: 259	This is what I have one mine. I love how user friendly it is to work. https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/superlux/ __________________ I'm really more a fresh water tank person 125 planted community tank. 29 gallon saltwater tank restarted June 2018 Current Tank Info: 29 gallon coralife bio cube with Superlux lighting

08/30/2017, 07:10 AM	#2
ReefWreak Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Astoria, NYC Posts: 10,159	If you want to replace the lights, the AI Prime HD would be a good choice. If you prefer to keep the hood, I would recommend checking out some of the retrofit kits available (my preference is the RapidLED solderless dimmable retrofit, but Steves LEDs are a solid choice as well). Knowing that white LEDs don't provide much of the PAR that corals need with LEDs (Contrary to metal halide and fluorescent [T5] lighting, blue LEDs are the PAR drivers, not as much the other colors), the white LEDs dimming out would not likely be the problem. Usually when corals aren't getting enough light, they turn brown, not white. The exception to this is if they've always been brown (indicate that they were just barely hanging on) and are now turning white (giving up the fight, and dying). Your parameters are generally fine (alkalinity and calcium are a little high, but no harm there), but really what you need to be careful/cautious of is changing anything quickly. Is your tank at 74-76 all day? Does it go to 68 at night, or swing to 80 during the day? Have you done a water change in the last few weeks with a new source of water (or a new salt)? What are your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and phosphate levels? Have those been swinging around (less likely to see a direct impact other than algae blooms or bleaching). Did you recently add GFO or lanthanum chloride to lower phosphates? Did you recently change out carbon? I wouldn't blame bleaching on too little lighting, again unless you've been consistently at the low end of lighting intensity for a long time (brown corals). Bleaching from light usually only happens when it's too much light too quickly (i.e. changing lighting sources without going through a lighting acclimation cycle and slowly ramping new lights [particularly with LEDs] up slowly over a few weeks). I hope that helps.