AI lighting question

I don't use AI's, but I do have a DIY array that I do a ramp time on. I give them 90 minutes to ramp up and down. IMO ramp time doesn't play a huge role in much other than aesthetics. If you like the slow sunrise/sunset look, go for it. Some speculate that it is good for the corals, but I figure "traditional" lighting has pretty much been on, then off, for years, and if we did ok with that, we can do ok doing the same with LEDs.

I asked the same question about brightness, and got mixed responses. I ended up going with something that looked good to me, but at the same time provided enough light. I ended up guessing on the light, since I have no PAR meter, but my SPS are growing like weeds, so I think I did alright. I liked the bluer look, so I ended up doing 80% max brightness on my blue string and 45% max brightness on the white string. I run 2 strings of 12 over a BC29 with no optics. Bulbs are roughtly 3 inches from the water level.

 

I have 2 AI's over my 75G 12" above water. B:80 R:80 9am to 9pm, 60m. W:80 11am to 7pm, 60m. B:5 R:5 9pm to 9am 60m. Just installed another AI over my frag tank, same times, 14" above water. Although I'd like to throw out there if someone has a better way of doing the timers on this setup than I do I'd like to hear it. I have 5 timers, 1 is for blues on, 2 is for the blues to turn off at night, 3 is for whites to come on, 4 is for whites to turn off, 5 is for night time. Thats the only way I could figure out how to get them set up.

 

I was told if you want the kunar cycle to work you have to set all 3 at 4% all night and it will adjust them for you.

 

I have the ai nano and I just used the natural ramp up
8am all three start ramping up over a 4 hour period so that at 12 they are at the full intensities.
w 45 b 100 rb 100
Then at 7 they start the ramp down to darkness. OR if the lunar cycle is active that night
I have two programs , program 1 the ramp up to the max I set and program 2 the ramp down to lunar or darkness whatever the calendar has set. I set the lunar in program 2 and set it to 8 percent.
This is the way I set it up because its the only way I could figure out. You guys have some really complex lighting setups . I may give it try one of these days but for now my corals seem to really respond to the slow ramp up and ramp down.