is this enough?

[A.Percula]

Hi,

I have an IM Marine Fusion 40 with some LPS, softies, and SPS (montiporas, birdnest corals, chalices, and favia). I started with 1 Al Prime HD, and added a second one a month ago. I just got a PAR meter and numbers do not look impressive...

They lights are about 8" above water, and measures underwater about 5" are 130-160, at 10" PAR readings are 130, and at 16" under water are around 100 (130 at the center).

Is this enough? My sps receive 130 PAR mostly...

 

[Crabs McJones]

Hi,

I have an IM Marine Fusion 40 with some LPS, softies, and SPS (montiporas, birdnest corals, chalices, and favia). I started with 1 Al Prime HD, and added a second one a month ago. I just got a PAR meter and numbers do not look impressive...

They lights are about 8" above water, and measures underwater about 5" are 130-160, at 10" PAR readings are 130, and at 16" under water are around 100 (130 at the center).

Is this enough? My sps receive 130 PAR mostly...

What settings do you have your lights at?

 

[A.Percula]

This is with the AB+ spectrum. The lights are around 10” aboce water now that I measured it with a ruler.

 

[Dana Riddle]

Are your measurements corrected for the immersion effect?

 

[A.Percula]

I used a MQ500 meter and not sure if I have to use the 1.32x correction using this meter.

 

[Dana Riddle]

I used a MQ500 meter and bot sure if I have to use the 1.32x correction using this meter.

Yes, multiply your PPFD measurements by 1.32 when using the full spectrum sensor.

 

[jda]

https://www.apogeeinstruments.com/underwater-par-measurements/

The MQ510 does the multiplication for you, but the MQ500 does not.

 

[A.Percula]

oh! makes more sense now. So I adjusted the lights and re-tested. Here are the results with the post measurement correction. Can anybody please tell me if this is too much, good, or bad? Where can I find PAR requirements for each coral? I just want to make sure I provide enough light for them.

 

[jda]

On the bottom end of what I would want, but they are mostly fine. Choose your SPS well and keep them in the upper half and you should be OK. Dragons, deep water corals (the smooth skinned ones) can thrive with less PAR. I might suggest that you stay away from the super-high light species like Millepora, Tables.

Dana wrote an article for somebody (Advance Aquarist, maybe) with PPFD values for a lot of different kinds of SPS. Although I have seen thriving acropora in my own house well beyond what he lists as the photo saturation point, it is a VERY good reference to tell which kinds are lower or higher light.

I found it:
https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/3/aafeature1