Led par on biocube 29

[CNDReef]

Title says it all, trying to get a idea of my lights are good enough at this setting. Have a nanobox retro plus on my biocube 29 and on the sand I get 25 par. I don't think this can be normal so I'm trying to compare apples to apples

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Title says it all, trying to get a idea of my lights are good enough at this setting. Have a nanobox retro plus on my biocube 29 and on the sand I get 25 par. I don't think this can be normal so I'm trying to compare apples to apples

What meter are you using and what model? Mini Duo or quad.
Off the bat id say no, the settings are too low looking at the specs. It also depends on the amount you want on the sand and where on the sand your measuring. It looks like it has a pretty large hot spot.

 

[CNDReef]

It's the retro kit that fits in the hood.
Has 2 v2 arrays.
Using a apogee par meter.
At the water surface ( not submerged) I get about 900

 

[CNDReef]

So that's too much light?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

It's the retro kit that fits in the hood.
Has 2 v2 arrays.
Using a apogee par meter.
At the water surface ( not submerged) I get about 900

Sounds like the duo then.
the specs.
http://nanoboxreef.com/duo.html

So that's too much light?

Double check the meter, and Im not sure what model, too close wont allow the light to blend. The older models weren't designed for leds so ya kinda have to cheat a bit. move the sensor around a bit and look for peaks.

900 is pretty high yes, but with 900 on the top you should not have 25 on the sand. So Id double check.

One its submerges it loses just under a third of the light I believe, from refraction, but Id still retest it..

 

[CNDReef]

It is a older model par meter ( belongs to my local club )
I've tried all 4 channels at 100% and it increased slightly at thesand ( probably 15" from light

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

It is a older model par meter ( belongs to my local club )
I've tried all 4 channels at 100% and it increased slightly at thesand ( probably 15" from light

K that's really weird.
its on elctric light and not sun? did you look at those specs for your light?

 

[CNDReef]

Yes but are they at 100% power and I believe those sit higher than the retro kit which is only about 3 inches of the water surface

 

[CNDReef]

Going to try to change the plastic splash shield that comes stock with acrylic to see if it makes a difference. It is kind of hazing

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yes but are they at 100% power and I believe those sit higher than the retro kit which is only about 3 inches of the water surface

Ah got it, its a singe unit, correct? so it should be close but probably to the duo models specs but lower. Or possibly the mini.
If its the mini it could make sense having those readings, and yea if they are non lensed leds and/or its getting diffused the par will probably fall of pretty drastically at the bottom. . .

I dont see the Retro board specs BTW.


Mini specs. I assume its the same board
http://nanoboxreef.com/mini.html

 

[CNDReef]

The duo plus is the same as the retro I believe

http://nanoboxreef.com/shop.html

Scroll down to large retro plus

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

The duo plus is the same as the retro I believe

http://nanoboxreef.com/shop.html

Scroll down to large retro plus

got but i cant find a spc on it. its a single board, correct?

 

[CNDReef]

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

haha, thank you.

then yea, should be the duo,http://nanoboxreef.com/duo.html

 

[CNDReef]

That said they should be cranking around 180 at my sand level by those specs

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

That said they should be cranking around 180 at my sand level by those specs

Exactly, it might be a bit off, but.... You should have 125 at least. How foggy is the cover

 

[CNDReef]

It's not that foggy but with the lights on it looks worse

 

[CNDReef]

That picture is my cover

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

That picture is my cover

Yea that shouldn't effect it that much I would think. It's in a good so maybe try metering it dry.
Leave the hood open and move the denote around the same distances as the sand bed.

Just a double check.

It looks like it should make two pretty even pools of light. The specs on the site are a bit misleading imo as to the spread but it should be pretty close.

If you have a lux meter or can find a good app you can double check that way too.

On iPhone you want the galactiaca lux meter app.

 

[CNDReef]

Cool thx