PAR

[KQuillan]

Can someone please explain what PAR is, what it means, etc.
If I'm going to upgrade and get lights, I would love to know about this.

Thanks.

 

[tbrown]

Photosynthetically Active Radiation

Basically speaking, PAR is the amount of usable light that reaches the coral.

 

[Goaway]

Photosynthetic available radiation. There's tons of articles on this.

 

[KQuillan]

Photosynthetically Active Radiation

Basically speaking, PAR is the amount of usable light that reaches the coral.

Ahhh, ok. Thank you.

 

[tbrown]

Part of it is determined by the frequency of the lights, the clarity of the water, the brightness/lumens of the lights, and the lenses used (more focused means more PAR but smaller spots, less focused means lower PAR at the bottom but more spread out).

 

[oreo54]

Can someone please explain what PAR is, what it means, etc.
If I'm going to upgrade and get lights, I would love to know about this.

Thanks.

Kind of an explains "everything" primer.
https://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Lighting.html

 

[Bpb]

Put simply, I like to think of par like I do any other chemical parameter in the hobby. You can obtain a numerical amount to how much nitrate, phosphate, or calcium is in the water. A numerical value to how hot or cold the water is. A numerical value to what amount of water is circulating.

PAR is the numerical value to how many photons are entering the water at a given point. Photons being “particles/waves” of light.