Captain45
Community Member
I was under the suspicion that I was cooking some euphyllia that was retracting and losing their deep green colors. I spent a few weeks driving myself nuts on whether I was running the correct light intensities based off of BRS's AI Prime tests, trying to match up their lighting intensities to my tank size/depth etc etc. Well I broke down and got a Apogee SQ-420 PAR Meter and ran some tests of my own and I'm glad I did as mine don't quite match up to their results, but to my surprise I was finding my coral weren't liking PAR readings that are generally considered in the "correct range". Here's some results:
This is what I was originally running my AI Prime HD @ 10" above water on my IM Nuvo 20:
This is essentially BRS's schedule at 50%:
This is my PAR readings on that schedule. All readings were taken with pumps on and PAR readings are averages from the shimmer fluctuations.
The PAR readings in yellow are where my corals are/were that were not happy. You can see the Hammer head under the 100 PAR was bleaching out compared to its other head on the left at 45. The yellow 135 reading is where my octospawn was and has since been moved to the lower left of the tank sitting under 90, he's still retracted weeks later though.
Everything I've read online suggests 100-150 is good for Euphyllia but thats not the case with my colonies, they seem be liking 30-75.
This is what I have my AI Prime at Now, Its essentially BRS schedule at about 30%~ ish.
Heres the PAR readings on that intensity:
Its been about 3 weeks since I dropped down my Prime Intensity and so far my Euphyllia garden is doing well. The Heads that are far off to the left getting only 30-40 PAR still seem to be really full and happy. The Heads on the right side of the left side tank are starting to get their color back but have a long way to go. My Octospawn is still ticked.
We'll see how the Micromussa's and Candy Cane do the right side of the tank with the lower intensity but so far they are puffier and bigger than ever!
I hope this info helps anyone trying to figure out Prime settings on their 20g Nano's. this is my no means perfect science or advice on what intensities you should be running, I think all coral colonies have their own individual needs but at least for me its not a guessing game anymore.
This is what I was originally running my AI Prime HD @ 10" above water on my IM Nuvo 20:
This is essentially BRS's schedule at 50%:
This is my PAR readings on that schedule. All readings were taken with pumps on and PAR readings are averages from the shimmer fluctuations.
The PAR readings in yellow are where my corals are/were that were not happy. You can see the Hammer head under the 100 PAR was bleaching out compared to its other head on the left at 45. The yellow 135 reading is where my octospawn was and has since been moved to the lower left of the tank sitting under 90, he's still retracted weeks later though.
Everything I've read online suggests 100-150 is good for Euphyllia but thats not the case with my colonies, they seem be liking 30-75.
This is what I have my AI Prime at Now, Its essentially BRS schedule at about 30%~ ish.
Heres the PAR readings on that intensity:
Its been about 3 weeks since I dropped down my Prime Intensity and so far my Euphyllia garden is doing well. The Heads that are far off to the left getting only 30-40 PAR still seem to be really full and happy. The Heads on the right side of the left side tank are starting to get their color back but have a long way to go. My Octospawn is still ticked.
We'll see how the Micromussa's and Candy Cane do the right side of the tank with the lower intensity but so far they are puffier and bigger than ever!
I hope this info helps anyone trying to figure out Prime settings on their 20g Nano's. this is my no means perfect science or advice on what intensities you should be running, I think all coral colonies have their own individual needs but at least for me its not a guessing game anymore.
