Is 50-60 PAR too low?

LordJoshaeus

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Messages
558
Reaction score
523
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I got a PAR meter in the mail today and used it to measure the PAR in my reef jars...got only 50-60 umols on the sand bed and about 70 at the top of the rock. Is that high enough for softies, or should I look into upgrading my lighting? Thank you
 
Last edited:

Dan_P

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 21, 2018
Messages
7,571
Reaction score
7,962
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I got a PAR meter in the mail today and used it to measure the PAR in my reef jars...got only 50-60 umols on the sand bed and about 70 at the top of the rock. Is that high enough for softies, or should I look into upgrading my lighting? Thank you
It depends on the species.
 

Mr. Mojo Rising

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 14, 2021
Messages
7,612
Reaction score
8,632
Location
Toronto
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You should upgrade IMHO. Some select corals will survive in that par but not thrive. For me it would be frustrating

EDIT. but what do you mean jar? Like a pico tank? My answer would be different for a pico, I’m talking about a regular reef tank.
 
OP
OP
LordJoshaeus

LordJoshaeus

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Messages
558
Reaction score
523
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You should upgrade IMHO. Some select corals will survive in that par but not thrive. For me it would be frustrating

EDIT. but what do you mean jar? Like a pico tank? My answer would be different for a pico, I’m talking about a regular reef tank.
Yeah, they are actual jars, a gallon jar and a two gallon jar. I can upgrade the light if that would be best for the currently nonexistent corals (I want to get everything right before adding any).
 
Last edited:

Mr. Mojo Rising

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 14, 2021
Messages
7,612
Reaction score
8,632
Location
Toronto
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Wow ide love to see pics when your done but I don’t know about pico lighting good luck.
 

Hooz

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 16, 2020
Messages
1,623
Reaction score
1,702
Location
Heath, OH
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Assuming that "softies" in jars of that size would mean zoas, mushrooms and the like, then that is probably plenty of PAR for them. If you wanted a bit more, it might just be as simple as moving the light a bit closer to the water.

Also... It's important to note what PAR meter you're using as well.
 

PharmrJohn

The Dude Abides
View Badges
Joined
Mar 19, 2019
Messages
2,761
Reaction score
6,561
Location
Shelton, Washington
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
As stated, it depends on the PAR meter and species. The PAR reading is low, but you could still have a successful Pico tank with what ya got. How is everything doing? That's really your Guage with success......
 

Dan_P

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 21, 2018
Messages
7,571
Reaction score
7,962
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Are umols equivalent to PAR or is there a conversion?
Same thing I think.

PAR defines a range of wavelengths and the “brightness” is measurement in micro mols of photons per square meter per second. I think the world uses “PAR” to mean both, i.e., the brightness of photosynthetically active light in photons per square meter per second.
 
Back
Top