Need some lighting help with par numbers

doubleshot00

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I've had my dual Hydra 32's running for a few months now. My current par numbers are below. I just got a new light bar and will say it puts out a lot of par by its self. I'm wondering what my corals can take. I have sps at the top of the rock work but the right side has a ton of zoas on the rock work. I rented a par meter and adjusted the intensity several times to get the below number readings. Just need some help on what lighting par would be best for my tank.

Current light settings.
AB+ no lightbar.png

Settings with light bar on. and no change in my light settings.

ab+ 95%.png


Settings with the intensity turned down.

ab+ 80%.png

ab+ 70%.png

ab+ blue 70% white 20%.png

ab+ blue 60% white 20%.png

ab+ blue 50% white 10%.png
 

Troylee

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They can take as much as you give them if you acclimate them to it over time.. leds seem to be a little different than mh as we were running 500+ par without issues.. if you ran 500 par on leds it would most def cook some stuff lol… just ramp them up over time..
 
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doubleshot00

doubleshot00

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The last picture is where you want to start.
Work your way up to the second picture for sps.
5% to start over a week. If things respond well you can try 10% weekly.
Ok ill start that today.
They can take as much as you give them if you acclimate them to it over time.. leds seem to be a little different than mh as we were running 500+ par without issues.. if you ran 500 par on leds it would most def cook some stuff lol… just ramp them up over time..
I just notice some coral not look so good but it could be a number of other things.

@95% i can even go higher than that just dont want to wear out my lights. But i want my SPS to be happy and grow. I have a green slimmer, birdsnest, birds of paradise, two acros, two monit's and an unknown.
 

Troylee

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Ok ill start that today.

I just notice some coral not look so good but it could be a number of other things.

@95% i can even go higher than that just dont want to wear out my lights. But i want my SPS to be happy and grow. I have a green slimmer, birdsnest, birds of paradise, two acros, two monit's and an unknown.
You’ll be fine with par around 150 on those sticks in particular.. I wouldn’t sweat it..
 

Troylee

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Yeah i just knew i needed more. I wish i went with light bars from the beginning.
I’m running a xr15 over a 60 gallon cube and the par numbers are horrible.. from the threads I’ve seen on here the majority of my sticks are in 150 ish range and growing like crazy! My hammers and torches are in 80 at best and growing like crazy! I wouldn’t worry about par too much..
 
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doubleshot00

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I’m running a xr15 over a 60 gallon cube and the par numbers are horrible.. from the threads I’ve seen on here the majority of my sticks are in 150 ish range and growing like crazy! My hammers and torches are in 80 at best and growing like crazy! I wouldn’t worry about par too much..
Im trying not to but just by what happy in my tank this is most likely going to be a Euphylia and sps dominant tank. :face-with-tears-of-joy:
 

Troylee

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Im trying not to but just by what happy in my tank this is most likely going to be a Euphylia and sps dominant tank. :face-with-tears-of-joy:
I got 35 different sticks currently and and like 12 different euphylia myself ;) everything is doing great! Besides my tank gonna overflow with coral in a few months haha!
 

kdxracer

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Is the important specifications for lights the color and PAR readings? What would a $200 Current USA led strip lack from a $700 AI prime?
I have read a lot of the threads here and stickys on lights. There is a lot of very technical data but it just leads to more questions. I want to have a small variety of LPS, SPS, and soft corals and fish and would want sufficient lighting to make the tank happy. If its not absolutely necessary to spend a grand on this then i would rather spend the money saved on accurate water testing equipment or an aquarium controller so i know the basic needs are being met and heaters didnt fail and kill everything while im at work.
 
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doubleshot00

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Is the important specifications for lights the color and PAR readings? What would a $200 Current USA led strip lack from a $700 AI prime?
I have read a lot of the threads here and stickys on lights. There is a lot of very technical data but it just leads to more questions. I want to have a small variety of LPS, SPS, and soft corals and fish and would want sufficient lighting to make the tank happy. If its not absolutely necessary to spend a grand on this then i would rather spend the money saved on accurate water testing equipment or an aquarium controller so i know the basic needs are being met and heaters didnt fail and kill everything while im at work.
I wouldn’t necessarily get the current brand but these light bars from Orohek and quanta are amazing. Without the AI primes i was getting 150 par 8” under the water surface. Imo they are the way to go to save money. Or get black boxes.
 

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