My par results

[pickupman66]

So, I got the par meter mainly to dial in my frag tank and my office tank. on my frag setup. with 60% blue and 30% white, I am at 300 par on the top rack and 200 on the bottom. WOW this Reef Radiance puts off a ton of light for a 10 gallon tank. LIght is hung 12" off the water surface.

I went ahead and mapped my 180 with my custom LED setup. I was actually a bit surprised. I expected more out of it. for the most part, the useable sand bed was right at 100-120 Par. highest reading at a coral was just shy of 300 (except the tips of my stag which were 400). out of the water I have 500. I wonder if i need more? I only had 1/2 of the LED at 90% and other halfs at 100%.

most corals were in the 200-300 range. I do have some shady areas under the braces that disappointed me. one in particular with my Jason Fox Champagne. it was RIGHT next to my Cerealis on the hightest rock and was at 180. the cerealis was at 280. so I cleared some zoas off a very bright area and moved it to a 250.

here is a general map.

OK. so that was Un-readable. click the one below for larger

 

[calvo15290]

What wold you say the min par for sps is?

 

[pickupman66]

Depends on the kind. Lower light ones would do Ok in 150. Too wide of a range of coral types. Now the chart on apogee's website said I may have up to a -10% reading.

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[calvo15290]

Thanks

 

[meintn]

I've read the par meter doesn't read LEDs fully so you might have a higher reading than you think. How do the corals seem to like it?

 

[pickupman66]

Most are happy...

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[pickupman66]

Let me add to that. Most of my SPS are very happy with the exception of my JF Champagne and the Acro Vermiculata. they were both sitting in 150-180 PAR areas that were either shaded by a cross brace or the in-between area dead center of my tank. I may need to figure out some DIY recflectors for my T-5 bulbs and then possibly add a small 12 LED fixture to the middle of the tank to boost that area. SO, if anyone has a small 12 LED DIY kit with ballast, let me know.

My little office nano can blow up the meter too. at ~ 50% I can right at 200 PAR on the sand bed. I dialed it down so I dont burn up the frogspawn.

 

[shellynjason]

Thanks for sharing this information. I am always curious about where other reefers par readings are in there tanks, and the corals they keep. I am always trying to 'figure' out what each of my corals need regarding 'lighting'