Steve's LEDs - enough PAR for maxima?

[LovesDogs_CatsRokay]

Hi all,

My LFS has some gorgeous ORA blue maxima clams and I'm wondering if I would be able to keep one successfully in my tank. I have a BioCube 32 with the Steve's LED's lighting upgrade kit. I have the blues running from 9am to midnight with a 3 hour ramp time and max intensity at 72%. Whites are running from noon to 9pm with 3 hour ramp time and max intensity at about 45%. I have a flat area in my rock work where I'm planning to put the clam that would be about 12" away from the light. Do you all think this will be enough light for a maxima?

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

Hi all,

My LFS has some gorgeous ORA blue maxima clams and I'm wondering if I would be able to keep one successfully in my tank. I have a BioCube 32 with the Steve's LED's lighting upgrade kit. I have the blues running from 9am to midnight with a 3 hour ramp time and max intensity at 72%. Whites are running from noon to 9pm with 3 hour ramp time and max intensity at about 45%. I have a flat area in my rock work where I'm planning to put the clam that would be about 12" away from the light. Do you all think this will be enough light for a maxima?

I don't think anyone can give you a right answer unless you have a PAR spec sheet of your light system, or you buy/borrow the light PAR meter from someone/LFS and check by yourself.
*From BRS tested light system video, and after some math based on their provided PAR number, @100% intensity my clams that sitting on bottom will getting +/- 200 PAR and the one sitting on rock work getting +/- 220 PAR and I having 2 lights overlap covering the area so my PAR much more higher than above calculated PAR numbers. So if you think you light can provide at least 200 PAR then you should be fine with a Maxima clam.

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

A correction of my own above post.
*Clams sitting on rock works getting +/- 320 PAR

 

[Shigshwa]

I read once that Maximas need about 250 PAR for 8 hours a day. If you can't hit 250, then you could do the math and extend your photoperiod. Without PAR numbers, it's hard to tell you a more definitive answer.

You also don't want to wait until your clam is gaping and retracted from light starvation either. Once that happens, it's a very slippery slope downhill, and it's hard to come back.

 

[LovesDogs_CatsRokay]

Thanks for the info! I probably won't risk it because I really have no idea how much PAR the lights put out and I don't run them at their max for 8 hours anyway. I don't want to have it die or burn up my corals trying to keep it alive. Its too bad though, they sure are beautiful!

 

[LovesDogs_CatsRokay]

I emailed Steve's LEDs asking if they had PAR ratings for these lights, and this is the response I got -

PAR is a measurement for metal halide and other full spectrum bulbs - those of which output only about 1/4 - 1/8 of their light in the PAR range. Steve's LEDs output 100% of their energy within the PAR spectrum, so it is a null (doesn't apply to LEDs) measurement. Most of our customers report that their corals can only tolerate intensity settings of around 75%, since our lights are so incredibly bright. You can actually make them brighter than the sun, which is PAR levels far above 1200, and bright enough to bleach and kill any species of coral if you aren't careful with the acclimation process.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I emailed Steve's LEDs asking if they had PAR ratings for these lights, and this is the response I got -

PAR is a measurement for metal halide and other full spectrum bulbs - those of which output only about 1/4 - 1/8 of their light in the PAR range. Steve's LEDs output 100% of their energy within the PAR spectrum, so it is a null (doesn't apply to LEDs) measurement. Most of our customers report that their corals can only tolerate intensity settings of around 75%, since our lights are so incredibly bright. You can actually make them brighter than the sun, which is PAR levels far above 1200, and bright enough to bleach and kill any species of coral if you aren't careful with the acclimation process.

I can’t belive this is real.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LSFR0F...t=&hvlocphy=9061183&hvtargid=pla-505585159192

Look into buying one of these.
Devide the number by 60 and 65 to get a number close to your par.
If you put the meter the same distance from the light as you want the clam (even an est done in air ) you’ll be fine.
Basically it’s 6000lux to 100 par. For a marine led.

Kinda bummed to find out Steve is a flat Earther.

 

[jda]

What is more sad is that he most likely knows better, and yet, offered that anyway.

If you know the count and types of LEDs you might be able to get a guess from the DIY guys in the lighting section.

 

[Nhjmc]

For the price of the upgrade I'd hope so.

 

[Nhjmc]

Thanks for the info! I probably won't risk it because I really have no idea how much PAR the lights put out and I don't run them at their max for 8 hours anyway. I don't want to have it die or burn up my corals trying to keep it alive. Its too bad though, they sure are beautiful!

Good to know because I want to keep maxima clam (s) and for a month I've been debating on a/the right/best lighting upgrade for my RSM 130D.