Ya I will still bring it back a little, originally picking the light up the cycle was really long I think I kept it that long to adhere to my schedule a bit but if I just start a bit later in the day it should work fine except for weekends. And ufortunately I do not know my Pur or Lux so unless I pickup a seneye I wont be finding that out to soon.Seachem, Brightwell, et al make products that will work...DIY is good too if you're fluent in it.The commercial products are economical in the quantities you'll be using.
I'd still consider shortening the day as well....doesn't have to be permanent, but it could make a significant difference.
Hair Algae thoughts
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mcarroll
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Keep that meter on your wishlist, but in the mean time: Beginner’s Lux
Start with a $free lux meter app on your phone.
Use that while you order and wait for delivery on a meter like the LX-1010B on that link. You should find lots of options.
I think after spending some time with a light meter and getting experience with it you'll see more value in it than you might now....that might help one of the upgrade options like a Seneye make more sense to you.
You might be surprised...
...at how educational just walking around with a light meter sampling spaces around your life (tank, work, kitchen, plant room, living room, morining, noon, night, cloudy day, task light on your desk, etc, etc, etc, etc) can be....seems like most folks get at least a few good "wow"'s out of it.
For me it was when I looked up lux on Wikipedia and they have a table under the 1.1 Illuminance section that has common "standard" light levels which they sourced from the Astronomy Society.
Corals adapt to those levels in every environment with other factors like temperature, depth, flow, nutrients all as statistically minor-but-significant local interferences. Wow.
Or at least that was a wow for me....it may be different for each person. @saltyfilmfolks and others have noted at least the "Wow" part of the experience.
Interestingly our eyes are similarly calibrated, even to starlight though... Another wow, but a whole other discussion too.
Start with a $free lux meter app on your phone.
Use that while you order and wait for delivery on a meter like the LX-1010B on that link. You should find lots of options.
I think after spending some time with a light meter and getting experience with it you'll see more value in it than you might now....that might help one of the upgrade options like a Seneye make more sense to you.
You might be surprised...
...at how educational just walking around with a light meter sampling spaces around your life (tank, work, kitchen, plant room, living room, morining, noon, night, cloudy day, task light on your desk, etc, etc, etc, etc) can be....seems like most folks get at least a few good "wow"'s out of it.
For me it was when I looked up lux on Wikipedia and they have a table under the 1.1 Illuminance section that has common "standard" light levels which they sourced from the Astronomy Society.
When I noticed how the light level on typical overcast day (1000 lux) seems to correspond with the light compensation point of our corals (land plants too)...
...and then noticed how the light levels from shade on a sunny day (10,000-25,000 lux) corresponds to the lower ideal light levels for our corals (land plants too)...
...that set off a lightbulb in my brain:
Correct light levels aren't random or even based on anything else other than sunlight levels.
...and then noticed how the light levels from shade on a sunny day (10,000-25,000 lux) corresponds to the lower ideal light levels for our corals (land plants too)...
...that set off a lightbulb in my brain:
Correct light levels aren't random or even based on anything else other than sunlight levels.
Corals adapt to those levels in every environment with other factors like temperature, depth, flow, nutrients all as statistically minor-but-significant local interferences. Wow.
Or at least that was a wow for me....it may be different for each person.
@saltyfilmfolks and others have noted at least the "Wow" part of the experience.Interestingly our eyes are similarly calibrated, even to starlight though... Another wow, but a whole other discussion too.
Generally about $15. This one is $19. A couple on eBay are $10.
https://www.amazon.com/HDE-LX-1010B-Digital-Luxmeter-Display/dp/B00992B29I
And to be clear , PUR is still relative to the coral. The best we can do is provide the correct spectrums in an average dose(intensity/time) for for the ones we have in the tank.
Sounds complicated but translated it means set the dial to 7 for 10 hours.
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So I know this has been idle for some time, I got busy and forgot about the advice. I just now used a phone lux meter and right under the lights I'd say 3-4 inches on top of the glass canopy during peak hours I am at about 25,000 lux. What sort of readings should I be looking for? I also tried under the top and at peak it was reading about 20K right at the water level
Some other things to add:
Taken with Red Sea Pro Tests:
Temperature: 79
Salinity: 1.026
Phosphate: 0
Nitrate: 0
Magnesium: 1600+
Calcium: 410
Alkalinity: 7.7
I have cut my light cycle back slightly and even lowered intensity a bit since this original post still didnt seem to take care of the issue
Taken with Red Sea Pro Tests:
Temperature: 79
Salinity: 1.026
Phosphate: 0
Nitrate: 0
Magnesium: 1600+
Calcium: 410
Alkalinity: 7.7
I have cut my light cycle back slightly and even lowered intensity a bit since this original post still didnt seem to take care of the issue
