Hydra 26HD Par

[Mattrg02]

Does anyone have any PAR readings for this light? Looking at the charts from AI, I would assume it to be lower than others. Looking at my tank, I'm bleaching corals. I destroyed an Acid Trip millepora and half bleached out a startburst montipora.

I had it about 16-18in away from the corals and had the blues peaking at 90% and white at 35%. Max power shouldn't have done more than 225PAR according to AI charts, especially since I'm not maxing out the color intensity.

I finally decide to raise the lights. I'm now 19-25in away from the corals and seeing a very slow improvement.

Has anyone here measured the PAR of this light? These corals should be high light corals, so I'm confused.

Edit: I used acclimation mode for a month. The montipora is on the bottom and off to the side.

 

[Sagecritter4life]

I'm pretty new so take this at what it's worth lol.

I have a E260 (59 gal front) that has two 26's that are 12" above water I think and that makes them almost 28" above my sand.

With my apogee 510 @ 65% violet/blue/royal blue with 20% white it reads 100 par on sand and 350 at top rocks that are about 10" underwater.

I cranked them to 110 on blues and 35 on white and almost 200 par on sand with 500 on top rocks with 700 just under surface.. I'm sure this also depends on water clarity but looks to me they are quit capable of frying stuff....chuckle

 

[Sagecritter4life]

Not probably very helpful sorry I just noticed you had one not two lights so not sure if you could just take my readings in half or not...sorry

 

[Mattrg02]

Not probably very helpful sorry I just noticed you had one not two lights so not sure if you could just take my readings in half or not...sorry

Can you just move the probe over to one side, minimizing the effect of the other light? Or just turn off one light.

 

[Sagecritter4life]

Can you just move the probe over to one side, minimizing the effect of the other light? Or just turn off one light.

I had to get away from rat race (vacation) lol for couple days but tommorrow when I get back to tank will see what can do to help if don't come home to issues myself...chuckle.

You might give me exact peak spectrum percentages for each color etc at some point and I will set mine if I can figure out how to turn off/block my second light to match and see what the meter says for you directly under one. I'm sure there are other factors but I will measure depths/distances etc on mine and maybe you can get a figure roughly for your settup and maybe others.

 

[Mattrg02]

I had to get away from rat race (vacation) lol for couple days but tommorrow when I get back to tank will see what can do to help if don't come home to issues myself...chuckle.

You might give me exact peak spectrum percentages for each color etc at some point and I will set mine if I can figure out how to turn off/block my second light to match and see what the meter says for you directly under one. I'm sure there are other factors but I will measure depths/distances etc on mine and maybe you can get a figure roughly for your settup and maybe others.

I just came back from vacation, definitely needed!

My peaks are 90% on blues, 35% on white, and 20% on the others. Max depth below lights is 26in. Minimum is 19in below lights.

Thanks!
Matt

 

[Sagecritter4life]

I just came back from vacation, definitely needed!

My peaks are 90% on blues, 35% on white, and 20% on the others. Max depth below lights is 26in. Minimum is 19in below lights.

Thanks!
Matt

10-4 was offline for a bit went out for supper and yeah a guy has to get away and decompress every now and then lol and no problem will try to get you some numbers that might help you out

 

[Sagecritter4life]

I just came back from vacation, definitely needed!

My peaks are 90% on blues, 35% on white, and 20% on the others. Max depth below lights is 26in. Minimum is 19in below lights.

Thanks!
Matt

Hope this helps could get 20 par just from slightest angle on sensor so shot for avg

My hydra 26 fixture is from 40-50 par weaker from right to left as facing tank when measured found that really interesting simply because not even pattern so if had only one fixture on very wide tank and dead center the right side would be noticeably lower par than left

I'm guessing the prime is designed more maybe for single fixture tanks?? But I'm new to this so just an interesting finding.

 

[Sagecritter4life]

I ran two different settings as wasn't sure if you were counting violet as a blue lol sorry if confusing

 

[Sagecritter4life]

Also my lights are 9.5 above water surface not the 12 that I mistakenly told you while away

 

[Mattrg02]

Also my lights are 9.5 above water surface not the 12 that I mistakenly told you while away

I was counting the violet as a blue. So it would seem that AI does give conservative par values. At 200 par, it makes sense why I bleached a few corals, which are now recovering on the bottom, way off to the side.

Can you do one last measure with blues maxed out and white around 50%? I figure that should be the most we can get out of it and keep the same color temperature.

 

[Sagecritter4life]

I was counting the violet as a blue. So it would seem that AI does give conservative par values. At 200 par, it makes sense why I bleached a few corals, which are now recovering on the bottom, way off to the side.

Can you do one last measure with blues maxed out and white around 50%? I figure that should be the most we can get out of it and keep the same color temperature.

Had put it all up took bit drag it back out..chuckle.

At max blues with 50 white

@ 19" - 280 avg center
@ 26" - 250 avg center

Seen same swing of about 40 par from left/right so left of center at 19" depth seen high as 300 and high as 270 at 26"

With right side of center weaker accordingly

Drove all day then been doing deep clean grrrr cyano from being newer tank I'm guessing so I'm gonna call it a day [emoji6] hope it helps you out and happy reefing [emoji106]

 

[Mattrg02]

Had put it all up took bit drag it back out..chuckle.

At max blues with 50 white

@ 19" - 280 avg center
@ 26" - 250 avg center

Seen same swing of about 40 par from left/right so left of center at 19" depth seen high as 300 and high as 270 at 26"

With right side of center weaker accordingly

Drove all day then been doing deep clean grrrr cyano from being newer tank I'm guessing so I'm gonna call it a day [emoji6] hope it helps you out and happy reefing [emoji106]

A very big help! Will help me plan things out accordingly!

Good luck with the tank.

 

[Nhjmc]

Wish I knew as well. I've got one AI Hydra 26 HD running 12" above water UV, blues and violets running at 50%, red and green at 5% and white at 20%. My tank is a 34 gal 24x24 (AIO tank - a RSM 130). For my budget the Seneye is my only option just gotta read up on reviews a bit more before I purchase one.