Average par for growing SPS

[reef’r]

Of the stick heads out there that have taken par numbers in your tanks what would you say your average par is for growing acros. I recently purchased the VBR-aqua par meter off Amazon and mapped my tank and my acros are sitting in the 250-400 range I’d say the average is 300 give or take. I do have the ability to rent an apogee 510 and plan on it just to compare the two readings and I’m sure that those ranges are plenty for any SPS. My lighting is metal halide supplemented with Orphek bars. Should I be trying to go higher?

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

300+ will grow any SPS or acropora. If anything I would suggest bringing up all of the frags a bit closer to the waterline as the amount of par lost the deeper you go is exponential.

 

[reef’r]

300+ will grow any SPS or acropora. If anything I would suggest bringing up all of the frags a bit closer to the waterline as the amount of par lost the deeper you go is exponential.

My tank is only 16” deep so I have that going for me and I’m in the process of cycling some more rock to add some more height to the scape and more places for coral. But yes a couple inches off the bottom where I do have a few pieces im in the 225-250 range and would like to be 250-300…. Maybe I should really consider bumping up from 250 watt halides to 400s

 

[reef’r]

I think this is where the reef brite fixtures struggle a bit especially at 250w

 

[Biff0rz]

What problem are you hoping to solve by changing lights?

 

[reef’r]

What problem are you hoping to solve by changing lights?

Coloration, slow growth

 

[X-37B]

200 par minimum. I have acros in my 150 that get 200 par on the bottom and doing well.
Across the rock surface par is running 400 currently. Good growth and color.
In the past I have never fed the coral only the fish. I started running CRT 2× a week and am now runnimg 0.5 grams daily.
Growth has been surprising with color improvements seen.
I have had to adjust my carx every few days due to increased useage.
Im convinced now its the CRT since nothing else has changed.
Polyp extension in off the chart with this stuff so the corals like it.

 

[reef’r]

200 par minimum. I have acros in my 150 that get 200 par on the bottom and doing well.
Across the rock surface par is running 400 currently. Good growth and color.
In the past I have never fed the coral only the fish. I started running CRT 2× a week and am now runnimg 0.5 grams daily.
Growth has been surprising with color improvements seen.
I have had to adjust my carx every few days due to increased useage.
Im convinced now its the CRT since nothing else has changed.
Polyp extension in off the chart with this stuff so the corals like it.

Sorry to ask you a question on a different thread I didn’t know if you’d see this one lol

 

[reef’r]

200 par minimum. I have acros in my 150 that get 200 par on the bottom and doing well.
Across the rock surface par is running 400 currently. Good growth and color.
In the past I have never fed the coral only the fish. I started running CRT 2× a week and am now runnimg 0.5 grams daily.
Growth has been surprising with color improvements seen.
I have had to adjust my carx every few days due to increased useage.
Im convinced now its the CRT since nothing else has changed.
Polyp extension in off the chart with this stuff so the corals like it.

But I’m right in the same range as you aslong as my par meter is reading accurately

 

[X-37B]

No problem. I respond to all, lol.

 

[X-37B]

But I’m right in the same range as you aslong as my par meter is reading accurately

Then take a look at CRT. It is worth a look if you dont currently feed the coral.

 

[X-37B]

They finally got a web site. Take a look.https://collectorscorals.com/products/crt-concoction?_su_rec=9JcylNeAeYD8HEP2GYfVq8Ff-1_1vKdwO5cKSgZkTnXfOs_JccBCJ5seALfemRlFtZl1kybOtlbCtUaWysZe8UoBtyySto1D2d3X7ZzIyehaEoTnnW5hatTCpLxwphxbqw7Ah54jNMvLh-MxfMpLdYQ9Jco90nFQe_uJURlkF9vXO_wi952rZNNtPVCfKjNMJVvOu0kYXYEx0Z0EDghNpAoU0bjYEYHvaC4_d19WKYJ7h3L_Il6QBtF7yRy6&_su_rec_id=ca8b231d-77bc-4d9f-9e00-686cfb90b84b-1778284394&fbclid=PAVERFWARrVr5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAae5zIhG5TQRooetW_dZd7RFHv80eihM31Hg4rgLbR0vG9nkdp8Ui72x44lmRg_aem_8VOQpk9JEHmrPpKgcCIiiQ

 

[rtparty]

How long have they been under the halides? Did they come from LEDs before? What bulbs and ballasts are you running?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Sorry I feel like I missed something...... So you are changing over to metal halides? Did you just recently change lights and trying to match the par?

I have a similar set up as you, 18" depth with 150 watt mh and 2 OR3 bars.

I think the corals will grow anywhere you put them in the tank. I used to think about placement but I've learned that acros/sps will grow anywhere in my tank, any height even the ones I drop behind the rocks start growing, IMO its not comparable to led lights. All my other tanks are led lights and coral growth never compares to my mh tank. Just my 2 cents good luck

 

[X-37B]

Led vs halide for growth is an age old subject. Its the reason I setup my 112 growout to compare the 2.
From experience leds will grow coral just as well as halides.
Old 120 with 2 250's and my current 150 led system. Growth may be faster with halides but to me its a toss-up and not much different as long as you give the system enough par leds give halides a run for the money.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I was not trying to stir up an age old debate. I was just trying to point out, poorly I guess, that 250 par vs 300 par makes no difference on mh light. just my opinion

 

[Biff0rz]

Coloration, slow growth

both are subjective to a point. If they have color, new lights likely wont help. If they are brown, then sure.

Sps grow slow. How are you judging the speed? I have a few that grow fast, but, its still slow.

 

[JBNY]

200-350 par is about all you need. I am starting a new tank with LEDs and my PAR is 150 at the bottom and 400 at the top. With all my MH tanks, I only tried to get around 450 at the top, maybe 500 by accident. Corals at the bottom and middle did just as well as those on top. As was said, acros can take a long time to start growing and then you can have very fast growth on a coral that took 1 1/2 years to move out of frag phase.

 

[X-37B]

Example: it took.1.5 years to go from a nub I broke off and glued to the back wall to this slimer colony. Once acros put down some size they grow much faster so its relative and not really a specific type of light related issue.
Nub behind WD.

 

[reef’r]

How long have they been under the halides? Did they come from LEDs before? What bulbs and ballasts are you running?

I have a mixture of halide grown and led/T5 combo grown. I’ve been adding to my tank under halides for the last 6 months