Ideal SPS PAR

[SaltFishTV]

I’m looking on information on what you may keep your SPS at PAR wise or what the recommended PAR is for both growth and coloration.
Thank you

 

[Patman]

200-300 seems to be the sweet spot for most people. If you go higher just take some time to acclimate properly. Best options is to ask what par the mother colony is in when you buy it. SPS is a broad range of corals though, many of my encrusting montis will start to fade out past 200 par.

 

[Bpb]

Different light sources will have different par tolerances honestly. You can push a lot more par through MH lighting than led lighting for instance for various reasons.

Color is highly subjective. Spectrum has a lot to do with what pigments develop and what ones don’t. Some acropora will develop a rainbow of colors under lower/bluer light, but turn solid red under higher more full spectrum light. And the opposite can be said for others. There’s not really a par level for best colors across the board. It’s absolutely a gradient with different species expressing a variety of shades based on input

Broad advice there. If you’re using led lighting and are able to provide between 200-400 par in most places with a 14000-20000k general appearance, you’ll likely have plenty of options where to mount things and have a balance of reflective and fluorescent colors.

 

[SaltFishTV]

200-300 seems to be the sweet spot for most people. If you go higher just take some time to acclimate properly. Best options is to ask what par the mother colony is in when you buy it. SPS is a broad range of corals though, many of my encrusting montis will start to fade out past 200 par.

I may be blasting my corals a bit too much then. Top of my rock is closer to 700. Walt Disney tenuis seems to like it though

 

[SaltFishTV]

Different light sources will have different par tolerances honestly. You can push a lot more par through MH lighting than led lighting for instance for various reasons.

Color is highly subjective. Spectrum has a lot to do with what pigments develop and what ones don’t. Some acropora will develop a rainbow of colors under lower/bluer light, but turn solid red under higher more full spectrum light. And the opposite can be said for others. There’s not really a par level for best colors across the board. It’s absolutely a gradient with different species expressing a variety of shades based on input

Ahh I see, this does make sense. I’m running x2 AI Hydra 32hd and 4 ATI blue plus bulbs and I think I may be blasting my corals with too much light. 700ish at the top of the rock.

 

[Bpb]

Ahh I see, this does make sense. I’m running x2 AI Hydra 32hd and 4 ATI blue plus bulbs and I think I may be blasting my corals with too much light. 700ish at the top of the rock.

Probably getting some great color under that light level, but with led you may be entering photoinhibition

 

[oreo54]

As to color, I find this interesting..

Coral Color Management｜BlueHarbor

This is a coral color management theory created by scientifically understanding the color of coral from an optical perspective.

www.blueharbor.co.jp

but for coral Chromoproteins, especially in shallow water, not only wavelength but also wavelength intensity (light intensity) is important......Unlike fluorescent proteins, Chromoproteins simply need the wavelength of the color for their color rendering (coloration).

And the amber thing.. Something most mercury based lamps have.
All start here and just salt to taste..oh and the ???? huge amount of IR > 800nm..

 

[SaltFishTV]

As to color, I find this interesting..

Coral Color Management｜BlueHarbor

This is a coral color management theory created by scientifically understanding the color of coral from an optical perspective.

www.blueharbor.co.jp

And the amber thing.. Something most mercury based lamps have.
All start here and just salt to taste..oh and the ???? huge amount of IR > 800nm..

That was a very good read, thank you for sharing!

 

[Staghorn]

I haven’t put a par meter on my current tank but the last tank I had was a 24 x 24 x 24 cube. 250watt radium/t5 and led. I was getting about 250 par on the bottom of the tank and the top of the rock work was ~500 par. I can’t remember exactly but I’m pretty sure the top few inches of the tank were extremely high. Corals thrived everywhere in that tank. I don’t know if that helps but I definitely wouldn’t go any lower than 250 for most Acros.

 

[SaltFishTV]

I haven’t put a par meter on my current tank but the last tank I had was a 24 x 24 x 24 cube. 250watt radium/t5 and led. I was getting about 250 par on the bottom of the tank and the top of the rock work was ~500 par. I can’t remember exactly but I’m pretty sure the top few inches of the tank were extremely high. Corals thrived everywhere in that tank. I don’t know if that helps but I definitely wouldn’t go any lower than 250 for most Acros.

Do you remember if you ran higher nutrients on that system?