Should I worry about PAR being too high in a nano mixed reef?

[camilenoel]

I have a 14g cube tank that I am planning on setting up some softies and LPS mainly but I would like to try a few SPS up higher in my aquascape. I’m having trouble getting the SPS spots high enough par without frying the LPS. I’ve attached my current settings, PAR readings and coral wishlist down below! Any advice or suggestions?

On it i have a Smatfarm 60W G3 mounted 9in above the surface with my sand bed sitting about 14ish inches below the surface.
I have the settings as follows:
A: 40% (MIX reef recommendation by manufacturer)
B: 100%
C:100%

My coral dreams/plan.
- Zoa garden on the left cascading rock
- Gorgonian
- SPS (probably Montipora digitata) on the top
- Hammer(s) branching off the arch
- Long polyp toadstool leather on the arch
- Daisy polyps on an island in the sandbed
- Ricordea on the sandbed
EVENTUALLY
- Tubastrea front and center sandbed (Yes I know they are a pain in the butt, I actually wrote my senior thesis for my BS in Marine Bio on them so I would like to have them at some point)

I don’t want to mess with the light too much because I know it’s important to remain consistent so I’m just trying to get this dialed in before I add my corals.

I also have a weird hot spot in the bottom corner that I was asking about in another thread that I think we decided could be from glass reflection?

Thank you!

 

[shakacuz]

what did you test PAR with? which meter?

anyways, i wouldn't worry too much about PAR. especially when your readings are in that range. most softies will acclimate to those numbers anyways.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Agree with above, lps and softies are very adaptive to higher light, and believe it or not, they can and will thrive in higher light.

You can also go much higher with your rockwork, and give more separation between lps and sps coral placement.

 

[bobnicaragua]

That par looks fine for what you want to keep. Montipora aren’t as light demanding as acros.

 

[camilenoel]

what did you test PAR with? which meter?

anyways, i wouldn't worry too much about PAR. especially when your readings are in that range. most softies will acclimate to those numbers anyways.

The apogee one! So I believe they are accurate and clearly have plenty of room to go brighter if needed.

 

[camilenoel]

That par looks fine for what you want to keep. Montipora aren’t as light demanding as acros.

I figured a monti or even a birds nest would be a good place to start instead of jumping right into acros!