What percent do you run your Photon V2/+ MAX?

[Michael Llabona]

I have my blues peak at 60 and whites at 30. R and G are at 5. At the top of my Rock work, About 10in from surface, I get 300 par. I'm gonna bump the blues to 70 and white to 35. Hopefully that will put me at 350 par or so. 90g with photon hung 15 in above the water.

 

[drcrook]

Quoting: "Lux on a tropical reef has been measured to be between 110,000 and 120,000 at the surface and 20,000 to 25,000 one meter below the surface."

This is equivalent to a 75% drop per 3 feet. If we assume a linear reduction this means 25% drop per 12" (couldn't find equation for drop off) or 2% per inch. My tank therefor has the following characteristics:

Tank Height: 27"
Surface: LUX: 25,000
Highest Rocks: LUX: 22,000 (surface * .88)
Middle (where My archs are and most rock structures are: LUX: 18,500 (surface * .74)
Bottom: LUX: 13,500 (surace * .54)

From a LUX perspective; this would mean my tank replicates conditions beginning at approximately 3 feet of depth. A typical shallow tropical reef exists upwards of 150 feet depth in the ocean. My calculations are obviously not able to be correct because light is required to produce corals and at 100 feet; this would be no light. therefor the initial surface penetration is likely a very large drop while pushing through the medium is a lower drop.

 

[drcrook]

I have my blues peak at 60 and whites at 30. R and G are at 5. At the top of my Rock work, About 10in from surface, I get 300 par. I'm gonna bump the blues to 70 and white to 35. Hopefully that will put me at 350 par or so. 90g with photon hung 15 in above the water.

Any ideas what the PAR drop off is as you increase distance from the surface? According to your numbers and distance I should theoretically be towards the top end of the desired spectrum.

 

[TexasTodd]

Ask RB, but I sure wouldn't go up from 25 to 50% on whites that fast. 10% (not points) a week is all I'll change and sometimes go 2 weeks. I think there's conversions from LUX to PAR over in the lighting forum.

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

Any ideas what the PAR drop off is as you increase distance from the surface? According to your numbers and distance I should theoretically be towards the top end of the desired spectrum.

We recommend mounting your light at about 8"- that way you can use our PAR chart and estimator.

 

[drcrook]

We recommend mounting your light at about 8"- that way you can use our PAR chart and estimator.

Where is the link to the PAR chart and estimator? I found something in the lighting forums from 2004.

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

Where is the link to the PAR chart and estimator? I found something in the lighting forums from 2004.

Here is our updated spreadsheet. This will give you a rough idea- it is not 100% accurate but it's a good start to estimate PAR values.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0aihu161k5cew61/2018 Photon V2 PAR Estimator.xlsx?dl=0

 

[drcrook]

ere is our updated spreadsheet. This will give you a rough idea- it is not 100% accurate but it's a good start to estimate PAR values.

This worksheet freaking rocks. Now to see about adjusting so I can get an estimate of the numbers I want with the color mix I want.

 

[drcrook]

So This is what I'm going to move towards:

 

[lwmnfrvr]

Not quite sure how to read this chart. What do the vertical and horizontal values represent?

 

[SinCityRee4r]

Not quite sure how to read this chart. What do the vertical and horizontal values represent?

top row 0 is middle of the tank based on 36” wide tank and side #s are the depth in the tank I am pretty sure

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

top row 0 is middle of the tank based on 36” wide tank and side #s are the depth in the tank I am pretty sure

Exactly, it’s an estimate of the PAR spread throughout the tank.

 

[drcrook]

Gah; the next challenge is the information provided. For example: BattleCorals says theirs get "Blasted" - they use the ReefBreeders several feet up at all out; but no PAR. Unique Corals has actual PAR numbers they provide on their site; and then BRSTV has some suggestions of attempting to acheive 200-350 across the entire tank as best as possible.

If I look at unique corals; they keep sps at 200-250; lps at 100-ish and softies at around 100.

The great thing about these ReefBreeder lights & this estimator is I could literally nuke the tank if I wanted to all the way down to gentle moon-like night time settings with black lights. The only limiting factor is my knowledge as to what to set these lights at...which is a very big limiting factor currently.

Does anybody have their lighting schedule; model they are using; tank size, a picture and general data on what corals they have where?

 

[TexasTodd]

I honestly wonder if there are issues with colors not fully mixing with LED. The height would likely do away with a lot of this. I have seen corals burn and very low PAR that just doesn't make sense. But, if they're getting too much of a white, due to not getting full mix of colors, maybe it does.
Thoughts?

 

[SinCityRee4r]

Gah; the next challenge is the information provided. For example: BattleCorals says theirs get "Blasted" - they use the ReefBreeders several feet up at all out; but no PAR. Unique Corals has actual PAR numbers they provide on their site; and then BRSTV has some suggestions of attempting to acheive 200-350 across the entire tank as best as possible.

If I look at unique corals; they keep sps at 200-250; lps at 100-ish and softies at around 100.

The great thing about these ReefBreeder lights & this estimator is I could literally nuke the tank if I wanted to all the way down to gentle moon-like night time settings with black lights. The only limiting factor is my knowledge as to what to set these lights at...which is a very big limiting factor currently.

Does anybody have their lighting schedule; model they are using; tank size, a picture and general data on what corals they have where?

I posted my program already 120 gallon about 12” above the water surface.

 

[mb167204]

My blues max as 60 and my other channels max at 24.

I’m getting really good growth of my sps. Lps and softies much slower but it I thinks it’s because I run my tank too clean. Planning and starting acropower this week.

I’m going to try and borrow a par meter this week and adjust my lights accordingly. I want to shoot for 350 on top of rock work.

 

[Battlecorals Verified Sponsor]

Haha! Growing out corals commercially would be the exception. Most home tanks have the lights way lower to the water, and don't have quite as much surface area, so the lights end up being run far below the max intensity.

lol its true I do keep the fixtures about 20+ inches off the surface for maximum coverage and in shallows tank it's quite ideal.

It's a little different dynamic in a deeper tank id think.

 

[lwmnfrvr]

Thank you CP.

 

[mb167204]

So I got a par meter today and boy were my predictions off.

Again I run my lights at 60:24 (blues: non blues) and my par at the top of my rocks was about 800 and sandbed was 350. I’m going to dial these things back and retest my par levels and go from there.

 

[mtfish]

Here is our updated spreadsheet. This will give you a rough idea- it is not 100% accurate but it's a good start to estimate PAR values.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0aihu161k5cew61/2018 Photon V2 PAR Estimator.xlsx?dl=0

Logan, I am looking at the par tables. Is the 24" unit and 32" unit table swapped by chance?