Light PAR for different types of corals

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Ok for those of you able to measure your lighting PAR let's put a little list of your PAR levels for your corals.

Use the following list and add your info.

SPS in general =
Acropora =
Montipora =

LPS in general =
Acan Lords =
Euphyllia =
Meaty LPS (scolys, etc.) =

Soft Corals in general =
Mushrooms =
Leathers =
Zoanthids =

What else am I missing? Add anything else and I will update this post.

Maybe we can get a nice PAR average.

 

[Mattrg02]

Maybe we could add the light used as well? For example, a kessil successfully growing acroporas with "100 par" would be good to know vs a radion with "1000 par"

 

[RMS18]

I will be borrowing my lfs par meter this week... I will be sure to fill the list out.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

This is not real interesting huh? LOL!

 

[RMS18]

This is not real interesting huh? LOL!

Don't think many people have access to a par meter? I will have access to one from my lfs once I get a chance to stop there.

 

[jared graves]

This is not real interesting huh? LOL!

I would be but no way to get a par meter

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

You guys may be right!

How about we get an R2R Par meter and pass it around? Get some readings and send it to the next person on the list?

 

[RMS18]

You guys may be right!

How about we get an R2R Par meter and pass it around? Get some readings and send it to the next person on the list?

Hahah I was just typing that suggestion up!! I was thinking of ways to pass it to members most effectively. Maybe take a small rental fee and once it's sent to the next member the fee gets returned... etc.

 

[Russ265]

red planet: 375
yellow milli: 350
tyree pink lemonade: 350
green tenuis: 275
joe's rainbow: 325
bc's spainbow: 325
birdsnest ora green: 350
hyperberry: 350
blue tenuis: 325
goniopora ac: 175
alveopora: 90
maxima clam: 275
miagi tort: 350
$500 efflo: 250
zoas: 50-150
gsp: 50-200

have others but not sure their names.

these are direct readings from my 3w bridgelux lights. similar to ocean revives, reefbreeders, etc. i rented that cheap green apogee par meter i think it was from a lfs

 

[ebushrow]

You guys may be right!

How about we get an R2R Par meter and pass it around? Get some readings and send it to the next person on the list?

Genius!

 

[masterbuilder]

Montipora Digitata: 225-275 PAR (under LEDs)
Montipora Setosa : 200-225 PAR (under LEDs)

My current tank is almost 100% montipora digitata, Apogee sensor, Mitras LED fixture at 18K. As most everyone knows, with LEDs use considerably lower PAR numbers if you are cranking up the whites more than 40-50% of your blues.

 

[ReeferCub]

I know this is an old thread. But I was looking for the exact same information. I am trying to determine what would be good PAR requirement for my sps frags to grow and color up. It would be immensely helpful if I can get more of these numbers from those of you who are successful sps keepers and are aware of the PAR numbers in their tank. My post is obviously intended to give this thread a bump. If there is any other thread similar to this, then a link to that thread would be helpful too.
My current lighting 6*24" ATI T5.

 

[recess62]

I think now that Apex has a PAR meter there may be more data available

 

[TK_KW]

Stumbled upon this old thread. Lets see if the years past has added some insights. #reefsquad can add any input.

My Rainbow Cynarina for visual

 

[Ron Reefman]

I have a PAR meter. And to be honest, I don't think looking for specific PAR levels for specific corals is very useful at all. Corals will adapt to light and there are so many other criteria that are important to coral health and growth (water quality, flow, feeding, placement, neighbors...).

I think a range of PAR that is acceptable to most corals in a class is the best info for most of us. Something like:

zoas and softies: 50 for bare survival, 150 to be happy and 250 as an upper limit
lps: 75 base survival, 150 to be happy and 250 as an upper limit
sps: 150 survival level, 225 to be really happy and 300 as an upper limit

To be honest, these are just ballpark, off the top of my head levels. Especially the upper limits as I can't say I've every really pushed that extreme very often.

However, I have zoas that are placed from the sand to the top of the highest rock in my tank and PAR ranges from 100 to 350. And they are all growing quite well. The one caveat is, that a couple of zoas at high PAR have morphed to look quite different from their original look.

 

[ReefHomieJon]

I have a PAR meter. And to be honest, I don't think looking for specific PAR levels for specific corals is very useful at all. Corals will adapt to light and there are so many other criteria that are important to coral health and growth (water quality, flow, feeding, placement, neighbors...).

I think a range of PAR that is acceptable to most corals in a class is the best info for most of us. Something like:

zoas and softies: 50 for bare survival, 150 to be happy and 250 as an upper limit
lps: 75 base survival, 150 to be happy and 250 as an upper limit
sps: 150 survival level, 225 to be really happy and 300 as an upper limit

To be honest, these are just ballpark, off the top of my head levels. Especially the upper limits as I can't say I've every really pushed that extreme very often.

However, I have zoas that are placed from the sand to the top of the highest rock in my tank and PAR ranges from 100 to 350. And they are all growing quite well. The one caveat is, that a couple of zoas at high PAR have morphed to look quite different from their original look.

How different? U got pics?

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I have a PAR meter. And to be honest, I don't think looking for specific PAR levels for specific corals is very useful at all. Corals will adapt to light and there are so many other criteria that are important to coral health and growth (water quality, flow, feeding, placement, neighbors...).

I think a range of PAR that is acceptable to most corals in a class is the best info for most of us. Something like:

zoas and softies: 50 for bare survival, 150 to be happy and 250 as an upper limit
lps: 75 base survival, 150 to be happy and 250 as an upper limit
sps: 150 survival level, 225 to be really happy and 300 as an upper limit

To be honest, these are just ballpark, off the top of my head levels. Especially the upper limits as I can't say I've every really pushed that extreme very often.

However, I have zoas that are placed from the sand to the top of the highest rock in my tank and PAR ranges from 100 to 350. And they are all growing quite well. The one caveat is, that a couple of zoas at high PAR have morphed to look quite different from their original look.

I disagree any of my chalice put in over 50 par burns them.....

 

[Ron Reefman]

How different? U got pics?

I don't have picks, but I can get some. I have a green zoas that we collect wild in the Florida Keys. Under 200 PAR they stay green and look just like when we collect them. At higher PAR like 300+ they morph to be sky blue.

I have some green ones I just collected last week and I could do a photo now and then set it high in my tank and do a photo after it morphs in a month.

I disagree any of my chalice put in over 50 par burns them.....

What kind of chalice? What kind of PAR are the rest of your corals at?

If you are burning chalice at just over 50 PAR, my guess would be you have a defective PAR meter. I don't know of ANY coral that gets burnt at a PAR of just over 50. In fact many photosynthetic corals will struggle to survive starvation at a PAR of 50.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I don't have picks, but I can get some. I have a green zoas that we collect wild in the Florida Keys. Under 200 PAR they stay green and look just like when we collect them. At higher PAR like 300+ they morph to be sky blue.

I have some green ones I just collected last week and I could do a photo now and then set it high in my tank and do a photo after it morphs in a month.



What kind of chalice? What kind of PAR are the rest of your corals at?

If you are burning chalice at just over 50 PAR, my guess would be you have a defective PAR meter. I don't know of ANY coral that gets burnt at a PAR of just over 50. In fact many photosynthetic corals will struggle to survive starvation at a PAR of 50.

Here is link to my thread

Only happens to my chalices

Hello I really didn’t want to post this but I’m getting frustrated and don’t know what to do anymore. For some reason over and over both of these chalice constantly die back then heal and grow very little and I get all happy and then out of no where they die back almost dead then 3-5 months...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[DVal]

Surprised this thread didn't get more attention.