I raised my light- is there a math formula?

[Erink]

Hello all,

I want to start by saying I know NOTHING about lighting! Is there a mathematical formula to determine lighting parameters? I have an Orbit IC that has been sitting on my aquarium on the default settings. Everything is happy but I had a lot of shadows and dark crevices.
I've moved it up 5 inches and now need to adjust my lights.
I have green, red, blue and white lights.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

From what I understand unless you have a PAR meter you're just guessing. I know you can rent them for a week from BRS if it's not an investment you want to make.

 

[Erink]

Thank you

 

[jeffrey750750]

My thoughts are to be very careful changing light intensity, I've burned a few things in my day. Like mentioned, par meter is best. If you do up intensity, only up it like 5% a week. Go slow in everything you do

 

[Erink]

Perfecto I love this forum!

 

[Anchor]

When I have raised my lights, my maximum height has always been to raise it as I stand in front of it. Once I see direct light spilling onto my shirt I know that is my max height. From there its a crap shoot.... How high to run each color etc.. the pattern your light projects is different with each brand and model... by percentages... Run red and green on the low side and blues near max and wites just below middle.... depending on your tank size and wattage of your light.. you might find a narrow range or wide.. also depends on the corals you keep.. I only seem to run into trouble if I am lighting acros.. OR over lighting LPS and softies.

You can attempt to match some of the par work from BRSTV to your light.. but as I don't think they have done your light.. you would have to maybe look at something similar to it. But don't count on sameness.. just similar.. You can have real hotspots in the middle and nothing at the edges pretty easily..