Unstoppable algae!
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Following!! Also just ordered a Par meter!
**** R2R Par Database ****
- Thread starter Retro Reefer
- Start date
- Tagged users None
- Meter: MQ-510 Full Spectrum Underwater LED PAR Meter (rented from BRS)
- Tank: Red Sea Reefer 525 XL
- Lighting Type: 2x Orphek Atlantik v4s
- Mounting Height: 15" from water
- Water Depth: 22"
- Pumps and Powerhead Off
- Misc: Tank is set up in the corner of a room. Two small skylights provide some light from the top, and a large door wall provides additional light to the right of the tank. Neither of these sources provided direct sunlight during measurements, though.
Excellent lights! I ended up turning them down quite a bit, but gives me the flexibility to have a sweet SPS side and a sweet LPS side by setting the power differently on each unit.
@Orphek @James Emory
MrSkumfrog
Active Member
Giessmann Aurora 36”
I’m not sure the PAR Meter
Blue Plus Bulbs x2
Coral Plus Bulbs x2
RedSea Reefer 250
Length 35.5"
Height 21"
Width 20"
I’m not sure the PAR Meter
Blue Plus Bulbs x2
Coral Plus Bulbs x2
RedSea Reefer 250
Length 35.5"
Height 21"
Width 20"
MrSkumfrog
Active Member
Giessmann Aurora 36”
I’m not sure the PAR Meter
Blue Plus Bulbs x2
Coral Plus Bulbs x2
RedSea Reefer 250
Length 35.5"
Height 21"
Width 20"
MrSkumfrog
Active Member
This fixture looked nice, but underperformed. I purchased a 6 bulb ATI and got 100+ PAR at 11” above water line.
OP
OP
Retro Reefer
Slow and steady wins the race!
Looks like we have some great new additions to our database 
thanks to all that have contributed!
thanks to all that have contributed!Adding par numbers for Noopsyche K7 Pro2s since they seem to be hard to come by.
3 lights on a 60x24x21 Planet Aquariums tank. One light centered, then the right and left are 18" from center and 12" from the side. Lights are 9" off the water, which is the max using the factory mounting arms. I really think they should be a couple inches higher, so I'm planning to mount them with shelf brackets off the wall.
I took measurements on the factory "SPS" setting in the afternoon, which is 95% power across blue, light blue, white and color channels and 85% on the UV channel. I personally like the color, but some people might find it too white and want to turn the white channel down some. It looks roughly 15000 Kelvin to me. I find that the color channel really brings out the reds and greens but doesn't cause any weird disco look because all the LEDs are behind a single lens. Shimmer is excellent. For $170 a piece, these lights are a great value.
Another useful note-- the screw that attaches the lights to the bracket is a metric M4, so if you are hanging them from a rail, you really don't need the bracket.
I took measurements on the back glass, center and front glass at 12" increments across the tank starting on the side glass at depths of 6", 12" and 18" (basically with the sensor on the bottom). Par in the center and front of the tank is within SPS target range through all the areas that I would actually have coral. The back of the tank is low because it is black and does not reflect light back into the tank as much. Surface agitation was only the return pumps because with the gyres going the numbers jumped around so much I couldn't get a fix on the numbers. I eyeballed the sample locations as I was measuring, so some grain of salt is necessary on the numbers-- at least +/- 10%.
3 lights on a 60x24x21 Planet Aquariums tank. One light centered, then the right and left are 18" from center and 12" from the side. Lights are 9" off the water, which is the max using the factory mounting arms. I really think they should be a couple inches higher, so I'm planning to mount them with shelf brackets off the wall.
I took measurements on the factory "SPS" setting in the afternoon, which is 95% power across blue, light blue, white and color channels and 85% on the UV channel. I personally like the color, but some people might find it too white and want to turn the white channel down some. It looks roughly 15000 Kelvin to me. I find that the color channel really brings out the reds and greens but doesn't cause any weird disco look because all the LEDs are behind a single lens. Shimmer is excellent. For $170 a piece, these lights are a great value.
Another useful note-- the screw that attaches the lights to the bracket is a metric M4, so if you are hanging them from a rail, you really don't need the bracket.
I took measurements on the back glass, center and front glass at 12" increments across the tank starting on the side glass at depths of 6", 12" and 18" (basically with the sensor on the bottom). Par in the center and front of the tank is within SPS target range through all the areas that I would actually have coral. The back of the tank is low because it is black and does not reflect light back into the tank as much. Surface agitation was only the return pumps because with the gyres going the numbers jumped around so much I couldn't get a fix on the numbers. I eyeballed the sample locations as I was measuring, so some grain of salt is necessary on the numbers-- at least +/- 10%.
Cracked out the PAR meter today, and here are the results. Running a version of the AB+ schedule (I think).
Lighting is ReefBreeder 16" Photon V2+
Light is 8" off water, and 28" from sandbed
Tank is an AIO 40g, approx 22x22x22
Readings were taken with return pump, and two additional pumps on.
Lighting is ReefBreeder 16" Photon V2+
Light is 8" off water, and 28" from sandbed
Tank is an AIO 40g, approx 22x22x22
Readings were taken with return pump, and two additional pumps on.
3 xr30 gen 3 pro, 10¾ off water, back to front spaced 9" in from sides and 1 in the center, standard 90 gallon. Lights were manufactured in 2016.
Settings are 80% 20k spectrum (100% blues and uv, 17% white, red, green) apogee mq 210
Settings are 80% 20k spectrum (100% blues and uv, 17% white, red, green) apogee mq 210
dont see alot of people using 4 kessil a360x on their 4ft tanks and i was curious so i got a PAR meter from BRS ( apogee MQ-510. This is the PAR from the lights at:
Int:50
Color:20
Violet:100
R:5
G:0
Tank dimensions is 18"L x 48"W x 21"H
At the water surface is 450 PAR forgot to add that to the picture. Mind you this it at only %50 intensity. The lights are 9.6 inches apart from eachother 8 inches above the water surface.
Int:50
Color:20
Violet:100
R:5
G:0
Tank dimensions is 18"L x 48"W x 21"H
At the water surface is 450 PAR forgot to add that to the picture. Mind you this it at only %50 intensity. The lights are 9.6 inches apart from eachother 8 inches above the water surface.
Last edited:
Mark Bradley
Well-Known Member
Does anyone have a Reefer 170 lit by a Reef Photon and done the par measurements? Probably a needle in a haystack but if you don’t ask...thanks
uhgster1
Well-Known Member
- Type of meter you are using for measurements Apogee using the SUN setting
- Type of lighting.. be specific as possible and include things like manufacturer, age, length and type of bulbs for those t5 users, wattage and reflectors for the MH users. DIY Hybrid: 2 Coralife 36 inch T5 fixtures with 2 ATI B+/ACT; 3 AI Primes, one regular, one HD, and one HD 16. The Actinics are less than a month old and the Blue + is around 9 months old.
- LED users if possible include percentages used for different colors: UV 119%, V 116%, RY 122%, B 111%, G 10%, R 0%, CW 16% WITH 50% PEAK FOR 4 HRS. The regular AI prime runs the same schedule AS THE AI 16 but blue channels at 100% since they're not HD. The AI 16- UV 167%, V 167%, RY 125%, G 10%, DR 0%, CW 26% TO 50% PEAK FOR 4 HOURS
- Height of lighting over your water: T5'S are 4 inches above the water (stock legs), LEDs are 8 inches above the water
- Depth of water: 21 inches
- Pumps or power heads running? one PP8, one WP 4, 1 Hydor 3rd gen 2450 gph
- Any other factors that may contribute to readings such as room lighting, windows, tank in sunroom? etc.: The LEDs are arranged with the AI 16 and regular prime over the SPS zone, while the AI HD is over the LPS zone. No covers over the Aquarium.
- A picture with measurements would be ideal but a list/description would be fine as well.
- Provide as many collection points as possible such as bottom of tank left, right and center.. middle of tank left, right, center, front and back etc.
I was amazed at the PAR output of the AI's. Starting the test I was not expecting any numbers above 250 PAR. The PAR drops off much more gradually than expected but I believe it's due to the T5 supplementation. I will not underestimate AI's again. I am beyond happy with my reef as it is and do not force any lighting upgrades in the immediate future.... OK, maybe upgrade the AI to a 16? I still have about 2 inches of wiggle room to lower the LEDs but honestly the SPS is going to grow into the upper PAR area anyway so it will stay where it is set for now.
nthanhalan
Active Member
Finally got a good post about par. Do yall think I need to buy a par meter? or it better off renting or even just follow the chart and setting?
OP
OP
Retro Reefer
Slow and steady wins the race!
Par meters are not needed much after you dial everything in.. I would just rent one. We have a discussion thread going for the par database so we can try to keep this one just for data..
Starting a Par Database, please read and share your numbers
Like most people I’m not able to justify the price of owning my own Par meter and have been just guessing for years with my lighting, recently I was able to borrow a apogee 210 and to my surprise I have been very close in my estimations. I started thinking about how all my estimations came from...
www.reef2reef.com
uhgster1
Well-Known Member
Rent or borrow. To expensive to justify to the wife. You’re really only going to use it a couple of times. Once you figure out your par, if you’re not planning on upgrading it’s just going to collect dust.
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