Hydra 26 SPS lighting intensity reccomendations?
- Thread starter Joeganja
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mcarroll
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Get a [HASHTAG]#lightmeter[/HASHTAG] if you don't already have one.
A [HASHTAG]#lux[/HASHTAG] [HASHTAG]#meter[/HASHTAG] will suffice (run a forum search on those tags, or click them to see examples of use) and you can get one for your smartphone's camera for $free so you can take some measurements now. But order a cheap handheld lux meter off of ebay/amazon/etc for $15(incl. shipping) for the long run.
Set your colors so the tank looks good to you - something realistic to the environment you want to emulate* - then set the intensity using the lux meter.
Some references for conversion:
If you can hit around 40,000-50,000 lux in your peak areas, that should be good for most corals, in general. Deeper or more shallow environments (as dictated by your coral choices) might call for your peak readings to be anywhere from 20,000 to 80,000 lux. Above and below that range can be stressful to most corals.
It will be handy for you to know how far your "peak range" of intensity extends over your tank before it drops to half as well as where it drops below 10,000-20,000 lux. A "lux map" of the surface of your tank, in other words. (Or "PAR map" if you happen to have a PAR meter.)
*Here's an idea of what deep, mid, and shallow lighting environments might be light:
A [HASHTAG]#lux[/HASHTAG] [HASHTAG]#meter[/HASHTAG] will suffice (run a forum search on those tags, or click them to see examples of use) and you can get one for your smartphone's camera for $free so you can take some measurements now. But order a cheap handheld lux meter off of ebay/amazon/etc for $15(incl. shipping) for the long run.
Set your colors so the tank looks good to you - something realistic to the environment you want to emulate* - then set the intensity using the lux meter.
Some references for conversion:
direct sunlight at sea level = 100,000 lux = 2000 PAR = 1000 watts per square meter
If you can hit around 40,000-50,000 lux in your peak areas, that should be good for most corals, in general. Deeper or more shallow environments (as dictated by your coral choices) might call for your peak readings to be anywhere from 20,000 to 80,000 lux. Above and below that range can be stressful to most corals.
It will be handy for you to know how far your "peak range" of intensity extends over your tank before it drops to half as well as where it drops below 10,000-20,000 lux. A "lux map" of the surface of your tank, in other words. (Or "PAR map" if you happen to have a PAR meter.)
*Here's an idea of what deep, mid, and shallow lighting environments might be light:
