Best PAR Requirements for Different Corals?
- Thread starter AKL1950
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Do you have the par meter on hand? If it was me I would set the lights to AB+ schedule and measure the par by increasing the schedule intensity to where you eventually want the tank, then I would decrease it so it matches the par in the tank right now. write down the schedule intensity percent that matches the par of the tank right now then set it back to where you want the tank then I would setup the acclimation mode how I posted above.
OP
OP
Okay. I’ve got a Par meter. I’ll start setting up tomorrow and see what I get. Haha! What could possibly go wrong. Probably scare all the fish out of the tank. Ah, nope, got a lid now.
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Good start I guess and I’m sure they l have ur best interest in mind since u are a consumer to them. But they are not the b all end all w reef systems. Also not the only vendor in Florida. I can provide u with some others that are first class.
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Lol. Not gonna blast the system but change the spectrum to where it matches the lvl u have and slowly increase it over time. Top lids.
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WWC has some great guys, and were a lot of help. I think they just had me running before i was ready to walk. They were setting my tank lighting up like they have all of there’s set up. That was fine by me, but I never got the how and why lesson I needed. I’ll get there.
They just set it up a little funky, I think you mentioned in your post they set it up like that in the beginning to minimize algae. You are past the beginning stages and honestly there is a lot of debate whether lower light helps or just prolongs the algae once your lights are bumped up to where they should be.
I use Tidal Gardens coral care recommendations, including their PAR suggestions.Not all Acropora require very high light intensity, there are deep water corals there too, which do better in subdued light.
For spectrum I use modified WWC template. If I buy coral at LFS, I ask them about PAR settings.
For spectrum I use modified WWC template. If I buy coral at LFS, I ask them about PAR settings.
I wouldn't stress over it but rather just go for the mid range values of par per a recommended coral. So if a coral is recommended between 50-150, go for about 100.
OP
OP
Yes, I’ve tried a couple of them. Couldn’t use them because their 1500 gallon tank has the lights really high and it’s a deep tank, so the profile was way too much. Also tried one of their grow out settings. tvwa fairly close to what. Have now, but much higher level.
You don't have to copy exactly their profiles, just use spectrum they use and decrease light intensity if it's too much for your coral needs.
OP
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So, a lot of head scratching and trying different thing and I came up with this. I used the AB+ template and modified the duration and colors. I wanted a longer light period with long ramp up and down. I also tuned down the lime, red and white. I’m still concerned about new tank algae. As time goes along, I can ramp up those colors. I’m starting with point intensity at 60% and schedule intensity at 60% of point intensity which gives me 290 PAR on the top ledge. That is a little higher than it was on my other program Which was 284.
Anything else I should think about?
Anything else I should think about?
Set them to 100% and never look back.
Yeah i still feel like the best bet is to set point intensity and all channels to 100% and then adjust the schedule % down. Whatever works though
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I'm no expert and at times I do things a little different. When I have multiple lights often I will not run them together. For example I have a section of one tank that has monti caps so the lights above them are cranked and the other lights above lps and softies are lower par. Its not as simple as running them all together at the same setting but allows me to have more light where it's needed and the same with lower light and depending on the tank layout it can be easier at times to change individual lights vs moving corals. I even have a single light in the middle that comes on low by itself early for feeding fish and stays on late for watching stuff before bed.
I’m currently at 20o where most of my acros are. I’m at 8-8-40-10-40-40 on my setting. Red-green-blue-white-royal blue-violet
I need to get to 8-8-70-20-70-70. You think a few % each day will be ok of a move?
I am so glad to see this! I have the exact same dimensions and lights. Maybe not 100% on the rock dimensions, but 8" above the water, 24" high tank. G5 pro blues - I am currently running my lights at 34% (AB+) - down from a previous value (I forget the exact number, but higher - probabyly in the 50% range) after that caused 2 acros to completely lose color and die rather quickly. I also had other soft corals that refused to open. I started lowering the values slowly and things relazed and did a lot better. All the zoas and LPS corals survived and are doing great. Have not attempted any mpre SPS as of this time.
I want the par meter to know for sure, but seeing your values, I think I am in a much better % range now. Until work-bonus cash comes - no par meter for me!
I should also add - I never understood why the schedule intensity and then the point intesity. I set the schedule at 100% and point at whatever I want (now 34%). If the schedule intensity is less than 100, the the point value is not what it seems. So, to me, it seems a rather useless value. I noticed in your screens shots a 60% schedule, with 60% point is ~ 35% (actual?) - if the schedule was 100, the point could be set to 35% and easier (for me) to know what my values are.
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