What's a high, medium and low light

[Lucas Barros]

Hey, guys!

I saw in the Tidal Gardens' website something interesting about lighting.
- Low light: translates to about 30-50 PAR
- Medium light: is between 50-150 PAR
- High light: anything over 150 PAR

I have ever heard that sps, for example, must be positioned below high light (something between 350 - 500 PAR, for a good color).
But, in this site, high lighting is anything over 150 PAR.

What's your opinion? 150 PAR is really a high lighting?

This is the link:
https://www.tidalgardens.com/coral/wysiwyg-paint-splatter-trachyphyllia-03.html

Thanks!

 

[Andrewalex11]

I really personally feel like this topic is extremely opinionated but if you want my opinion I consider >125 PAR low light 150-250 medium light and 275 and greater high light. The way I had came up with these numbers are just off the corals I have what the standard consideration for lighting for them (high, medium, low) and what PAR I have them sitting under

 

[Rick.45cal]

My tank is 27.5" deep and my PAR on the sandbed is 375-385. Most of my acros sit in 500-600 PAR ... that's kinda bright.... maybe high light?

 

[pickupman66]

My interpretation is:

- Low light: translates to below 100 PAR
- Medium light: is between 100-300 PAR
- High light: anything over 300 PAR


Rick. what are you using to punch that deep with that much light??

 

[Meccaman96]

My interpretation is:

- Low light: translates to below 100 PAR
- Medium light: is between 100-300 PAR
- High light: anything over 300 PAR


Rick. what are you using to punch that deep with that much light??

Serious rick wow

 

[Lucas Barros]

I agree with you, guys.
I asked this question, because my tank is a sps dominated and I filled it again 3 weeks ago, due to a hydroid that appeared in a frag that I bought anteriorly.
So, this time, I want try do all the things right.
My tank is 50x22x22 (inches) and I have 2 AI 52. To improve the PAR, I added 4 T5 54W.
The measures that I had with the Apooge's sensor was something about 575 PAR in the top, 250-350 PAR in the middle and 250-300 PAR in the sandbed.

Can I get great colors with this measures? I know that there is a lot of other parameters about this question, but I'm thinking in lighting in this time.

Bellow is the photo of my tank.

 

[Andrewalex11]

My tank is 27.5" deep and my PAR on the sandbed is 375-385. Most of my acros sit in 500-600 PAR ... that's kinda bright.... maybe high light?

I'd put on sunscreen before getting close to your set-up with those numbers.

 

[Rick.45cal]

My interpretation is:

- Low light: translates to below 100 PAR
- Medium light: is between 100-300 PAR
- High light: anything over 300 PAR


Rick. what are you using to punch that deep with that much light??

8x80W 60" ATI powermodule. With KZ bulbs.

 

[ARodsREEF]

My tank is 27.5" deep and my PAR on the sandbed is 375-385. Most of my acros sit in 500-600 PAR ... that's kinda bright.... maybe high light?

nice

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

0 par is almost dark. 2000 Par is full sun. My Mh 150w w a 20k radium gives about 875 par at 14in. most corals it seems like 200 par or more. clams have no photoinhibition point. In coral when photoinhibition is exceeded(350par per D. Riddle) the produce more pigmentation. My 55g has 2 ai sols 9in above the water at 70% peak for 8 hrs on a 14hr photo period. I have acros nearly growing out of the water. In the same tank I have Palys and xenia also growing out of the water.

Most coral save acros (and still looking)seem happiest in 200 par range, but that same coral will do fine in 50par or 400.

A friends SPS dom tak, with nems, acros and clams has 4 250w MH 6 in from the water. It maxed out my meter so is therefore more than 2000 par.

0-2000. 350 is high? I think not. And its a much much broader conversation into coral metabolisms and balancing the chemistry and light.

Consider this.https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/h...d-i-dont-know-what-to-do.210035/#post-2401666

 

[acropora4u]

i run 3 x reefbreeders photon v2 18" above tank- tank is 24" deep - 48x48x24... i run all blue and UV channels at 75% power from 8:00am - 12:00pm, all channels ( blue, white and UV ) at 75% from 12:01pm to 4:00pmn and then 75% on blue and UV only again from 4:00pm till lights out at 8:00pm... I get 500 par at the top to middle of tank during the peak 4 hrs...

 

[IslandLifeReef]

IMO, the source of the light along with how it is measured, pumps on or pumps off, matter. PAR measurement of an LED, very directional, vs a MH or T5 which is more wide spread and therefore has little shadowing, makes a difference. People turn off their pumps and get the water very calm to see higher PAR numbers. But is this what the coral are really seeing? Most of the time the pumps are running in the tank and the light gets scattered and intensity decreases through reflection and refraction. So, to answer the OP’s second post with their current PAR numbers and type of lights, IMO, your corals will thrive and have great coloration. Just look at the PAR that @WWC runs on their display. Some or most might consider it to be medium to a lower end of high PAR, but the tank is saturated with light.