PAR settings in your tank

[mike550]

Hello! I’m struggling to find the sweet spot of PAR lighting vs coral placement. Lately it looks like I’ve bleached out some new corals so I’m thinking maybe my PAR settings are a bit high. My tank is a 120G and about 24” deep, and I’d like this to be a mixed reef tank.

Question for the group. What are your suggestions for PAR at the sand base, then lower third (16” deep), and upper third (8” deep)?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Zoa.Mania]

Depends on the type of corals you plan to grow.
Maybe you can give us a bit more information.

 

[Uncle99]

Hello! I’m struggling to find the sweet spot of PAR lighting vs coral placement. Lately it looks like I’ve bleached out some new corals so I’m thinking maybe my PAR settings are a bit high. My tank is a 120G and about 24” deep, and I’d like this to be a mixed reef tank.

Question for the group. What are your suggestions for PAR at the sand base, then lower third (16” deep), and upper third (8” deep)?

Thanks in advance.

In general, that would be top 200-250 ish
Middle 150-200 ish
Bottom 80-120 ish
Corners 50-75 ish

Or or about.

 

[mike550]

In general, that would be top 200-250 ish
Middle 150-200 ish
Bottom 80-120 ish
Corners 50-75 ish

Or or about.

Thank you. My sense is that my PAR is a bit high or I’m just trying to place corals in the wrong areas. Probably both.

 

[mike550]

Depends on the type of corals you plan to grow.
Maybe you can give us a bit more information.

combo of soft, mushroom, zoas , lps, SPS. But I’m not one to go after expensive designer corals. Generally and hopefully the hardier versions

 

[Zoa.Mania]

combo of soft, mushroom, zoas , lps, SPS. But I’m not one to go after expensive designer corals. Generally and hopefully the hardier versions

In that case I’d say
Bottom - 75-150
Middle 150-200 +/-
Top 250

You better actually measure it once then live it be than “eye guess” and change it frequently. That way you’ll also know your low and high spots of the same level and stability is as important

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Whats your current par?

 

[Doctorgori]

All my tanks are similar
Top 250 -300 (300 immediately under light0
Middle 100-150
Bottom 50 -75/100

 

[Doctorgori]

Whats your current par?

Also what is your lighting like and what PAR meter are you using?

 

[Tcook]

I have the same tank. I run 90-120 at the sand bed depending on location as I keep trachys, scolys, and acanthos on the bed. Yes, what lights are you using?

 

[Lavey29]

There are other variables that can cause coral bleaching besides par too.

 

[mike550]

Whats your current par?

Sandbed varies between 120-ish to 80 in the corners. Mid level is around 150-180. Top closer to 210s or so. My sense is that the corals I’m purchasing thrive in lower light than where I’m locating them

 

[mike550]

There are other variables that can cause coral bleaching besides par too.

Oh interesting. Here are my parameters
Alk 8.5
Phosphate 0.05
Nitrates 20s (yep it’s high to me)
Ca - 420s
Mg - 1300s

 

[blaxsun]

As everyone else has indicated, the answer is "it depends". But here are mine.

 

[Lavey29]

Oh interesting. Here are my parameters
Alk 8.5
Phosphate 0.05
Nitrates 20s (yep it’s high to me)
Ca - 420s
Mg - 1300s

Numbers seem fine if they are consistent. The par number on your prior post seek ok too just a tad low on the top for SPS if you have any.

How old is your tank? What corals bleached? How long is your light period each day?

 

[cougercruiser]

There are other variables that can cause coral bleaching besides par too.

How are your 2 XR15’s? Is it enough par?

 

[mike550]

Numbers seem fine if they are consistent. The par number on your prior post seek ok too just a tad low on the top for SPS if you have any.

How old is your tank? What corals bleached? How long is your light period each day?

I’ve had the tank about three years but I did a reboot about a year ago. So I’m treating it as a new tank. Lighting is about 12 hours. 9 hours of max lighting with an hour ramp up and two hour ramp down.

I seem to be bleaching a montipora and a monti.

 

[FrugalReeferJon]

Crank em up, don’t run GFO or any other phosphate reducing media and feed well. My sandbed is around 300 PAR and the top of my rockwork is around 450 PAR.

 

[Lavey29]

I’ve had the tank about three years but I did a reboot about a year ago. So I’m treating it as a new tank. Lighting is about 12 hours. 9 hours of max lighting with an hour ramp up and two hour ramp down.

I seem to be bleaching a montipora and a monti.

I personally think 10 hours works well for corals. You want 350 at the top for SPS. Do you have abundant coralline growing currently? Perhaps the tank biome just isn't quite ready for SPS since the reboot?

 

[mike550]

I personally think 10 hours works well for corals. You want 350 at the top for SPS. Do you have abundant coralline growing currently? Perhaps the tank biome just isn't quite ready for SPS since the reboot?

I was able to maintain pretty much of the coralline I had from the reboot (pretty much the back wall). But the SPS might be challenged because my parameters wander a bit