How do you get around different par levels?

[Harry g]

Hey everyone,

So I’m planning to upgrade in a couple months once my 20G is more established to a 40B, I’ve been slowly picking up stuff on FBM or buying used items to make it seem cheaper when I do, I’ve already collected one ai prime, one ai prime 16HD and two brand new Ai Nero 3’s altogether the total is 360ish, anyways, in my new 40B (going to use the 20high as sump) I want to have a captive bred derasa clam, and a biota mandarin goby, here’s my current livestock in my 20G: 4 margarita, 4 Nassarius, 4 Astrea, 2 Trochus
1 black clown, 1 black storm clown, bangai cardinal, 1 gsp coral, 1 montipora frag, 1 yasha goby, 1 rbta, 1 candy cane kryptonite, 1 war coral, variety of zoas, 1 toadstool, 1 Kenya tree, 1 RFA, 1 Octospawn, would these new additions be fine? And would I be able to add in any more fish that are able to be kept long term in there with the rest of my livestock?

My second/primary question, if I had the derasa clam at the bottom of the sand bed, would it still be possible to have lower PAR corals higher up than the derasa clam without bleaching the corals? For example here’s my 20G high right now, if I where to put the derasa clam below where the candy cane kryptonite is sitting since the derasa clam needs more light than the kryptonite does wouldn’t the kryptonite bleach since the par would be high enough to give the derasa clam the PAR it needs? I hope I’m making sense and if you need more clarification please let me know.

Any advice is welcome or recommendations to help switch from the 20H to 40B.

TYIA

 

[rayadog]

Well my deresa prioritized flow over light and repositioned to face closer to my orbit, while moving further from my light ( but I think the par was comparable. My Amazon bought PAR meter gave me 90 where my clam is. It’s doubled in size and it has been leas than a year. I don’t think the rules are in stone. Get a healthy one for sure.

Your corals could be acclimated to a higher PAR level anyways

 

[Harry g]

Well my deresa prioritized flow over light and repositioned to face closer to my orbit, while moving further from my light ( but I think the par was comparable. My Amazon bought PAR meter gave me 90 where my clam is. It’s doubled in size and it has been leas than a year. I don’t think the rules are in stone. Get a healthy one for sure.

Your corals could be acclimated to a higher PAR level anyways

Is there a way to tell PAR without a PAR meter? It’s kind of hard to run a reef tank on a part time dollar general salary so I try to cheap out sometimes

 

[Mongo1.0]

Well my deresa prioritized flow over light and repositioned to face closer to my orbit, while moving further from my light ( but I think the par was comparable. My Amazon bought PAR meter gave me 90 where my clam is. It’s doubled in size and it has been leas than a year. I don’t think the rules are in stone. Get a healthy one for sure.

Your corals could be acclimated to a higher PAR level anyways

Is there a way to tell PAR without a PAR meter? It’s kind of hard to run a reef tank on a part time dollar general salary so I try to cheap out sometimes

There is a phone app that I used before I bought a par meter. Put my phone in a ziplock bag to use it. Can't remember the name right of the bar, but it gave me a little bit of guidance. Bought my meter off Amazon also.

The other way is to see how your coral reacts to different areas. Mine didn't react always to the change in light. Flow is a big part of it also. I have a hammer that likes lower range but with flow a certain way. Picky creatures they are.

 

[Harry g]

Well my deresa prioritized flow over light and repositioned to face closer to my orbit, while moving further from my light ( but I think the par was comparable. My Amazon bought PAR meter gave me 90 where my clam is. It’s doubled in size and it has been leas than a year. I don’t think the rules are in stone. Get a healthy one for sure.

Your corals could be acclimated to a higher PAR level anyways

Is there a way to tell PAR without a PAR meter? It’s kind of hard to run a reef tank on a part time dollar general salary so I try to cheap out sometimes

There is a phone app that I used before I bought a par meter. Put my phone in a ziplock bag to use it. Can't remember the name right of the bar, but it gave me a little bit of guidance. Bought my meter off Amazon also.

The other way is to see how your coral reacts to different areas. Mine didn't react always to the change in light. Flow is a big part of it also. I have a hammer that likes lower range but with flow a certain way. Picky creatures they are.

Is it called Photone?

 

[Mongo1.0]

Well my deresa prioritized flow over light and repositioned to face closer to my orbit, while moving further from my light ( but I think the par was comparable. My Amazon bought PAR meter gave me 90 where my clam is. It’s doubled in size and it has been leas than a year. I don’t think the rules are in stone. Get a healthy one for sure.

Your corals could be acclimated to a higher PAR level anyways

Is there a way to tell PAR without a PAR meter? It’s kind of hard to run a reef tank on a part time dollar general salary so I try to cheap out sometimes

There is a phone app that I used before I bought a par meter. Put my phone in a ziplock bag to use it. Can't remember the name right of the bar, but it gave me a little bit of guidance. Bought my meter off Amazon also.

The other way is to see how your coral reacts to different areas. Mine didn't react always to the change in light. Flow is a big part of it also. I have a hammer that likes lower range but with flow a certain way. Picky creatures they are.

Is it called Photone?

I believe that was it.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

You are going to use only one prime on the 40 breeder? Its only 55 watts, IMO not sufficient, you want something around 150 watts. Have a look at Nicrew or Vivarspectra or Smatfarm, you can get a 150 watt light cheaper than AI Prime. I know some people add a second prime to the 40 breeder, but IMO thats a very expensive option for just 100 watts.

 

[Harry g]

You are going to use only one prime on the 40 breeder? Its only 55 watts, IMO not sufficient, you want something around 150 watts. Have a look at Nicrew or Vivarspectra or Smatfarm, you can get a 150 watt light cheaper than AI Prime. I know some people add a second prime to the 40 breeder, but IMO thats a very expensive option for just 100 watts.

I was going to pick up a second ai prime 16HD for 120$ today, should i be going a different route? I’m not really interested in sps like at all, just really interested in a derasa clam.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I was going to pick up a second ai prime 16HD for 120$ today, should i be going a different route? I’m not really interested in sps like at all, just really interested in a derasa clam.

Thats a really good price for a prime, where I live they cost $350 new.

 

[Harry g]

I was going to pick up a second ai prime 16HD for 120$ today, should i be going a different route? I’m not really interested in sps like at all, just really interested in a derasa clam.

Thats a really good price for a prime, where I live they cost $350 new.

Is that USD? I paid 50$ for my first one and I’m going to pay 120$ for this one both with the stands, although the first one is an ancient relic/non-hd

 

[X-37B]

I was going to pick up a second ai prime 16HD for 120$ today, should i be going a different route? I’m not really interested in sps like at all, just really interested in a derasa clam.

Start with what you have. You can always add more.
I ran 2 over a 18" cube and 3 then 4 over a 36×24×12, and 2 over a 30g.
They will grow whatever you want.
30g for reference.

 

[X-37B]

Run the 16hds at first 4 100% and the last 3 50%. I never had a par meter on those 16hd tanks and ran those settings.
18" cube.

 

[Harry g]

Run the 16hds at first 4 100% and the last 3 50%. I never had a par meter on those 16hd tanks and ran those settings.
18" cube.

How big can I go with 4 ai primes? I’m looking at buying a bunch of stuff for about 300$ including 3 ai primes in addition to my 1 ai prime, I think two are non hd and two are 16Hd

 

[X-37B]

How big can I go with 4 ai primes? I’m looking at buying a bunch of stuff for about 300$ including 3 ai primes in addition to my 1 ai prime, I think two are non hd and two are 16Hd

How big?
4 on a 40B will be fine.
I only ran the HD.
The non HD you can upgrade the pucks to 3 different types.
Luxdium is the company.
If I had non 16's I would upgrade the pucks and have new lights with nice spectrums available.

 

[Harry g]

How big can I go with 4 ai primes? I’m looking at buying a bunch of stuff for about 300$ including 3 ai primes in addition to my 1 ai prime, I think two are non hd and two are 16Hd

How big?
4 on a 40B will be fine.
I only ran the HD.
The non HD you can upgrade the pucks to 3 different types.
Luxdium is the company.
If I had non 16's I would upgrade the pucks and have new lights with nice spectrums available.

I think a 40B would be small enough, I might sell my 4 primes, 1 Non HD, 2 16HD, 1HD, 2 with the gooseneck stand and 1 with the steel stand and one without, do you think nicrews would be better for spread?

 

[X-37B]

I think a 40B would be small enough, I might sell my 4 primes, 1 Non HD, 2 16HD, 1HD, 2 with the gooseneck stand and 1 with the steel stand and one without, do you think nicrews would be better for spread?

I do not have any experience with those.
I run RB Photons, xr15's, Orphek bars, and halides on several different systems.
I run a 16hd on a 13g hospital/qt syetm.