I have a mixed reef with SPS (including acros) and LPS and some softies
For many months now many of my LPS have been very fussy and unhappy
Little to no bleaching, but shriveling and shrinking - and tissue recession. 6 months ago my LPS were all thriving.
I have a PAR meter and this whole time I've been carefully measuring PAR levels to choose my coral placement.
"Why is this coral still being fussy when it's right around 100 par?"
However, it dawned on me that I have been using longer photoperiods - starting at 7 am with a slow ramp up and ending around 9 pm with a 4 hour peak 11am-3pm where I do all my PAR measurements - but that it may be my total lighting schedule that is blasting my tank.
So, I plan to keep the photoperiod but reduce my intensity across my peak to see if that will fix it.
My PAR will be below target on some corals, but the photoperiod should make up for it in total photosynthetic energy delivered.
For many months now many of my LPS have been very fussy and unhappy
Little to no bleaching, but shriveling and shrinking - and tissue recession. 6 months ago my LPS were all thriving.
I have a PAR meter and this whole time I've been carefully measuring PAR levels to choose my coral placement.
"Why is this coral still being fussy when it's right around 100 par?"
However, it dawned on me that I have been using longer photoperiods - starting at 7 am with a slow ramp up and ending around 9 pm with a 4 hour peak 11am-3pm where I do all my PAR measurements - but that it may be my total lighting schedule that is blasting my tank.
So, I plan to keep the photoperiod but reduce my intensity across my peak to see if that will fix it.
My PAR will be below target on some corals, but the photoperiod should make up for it in total photosynthetic energy delivered.