Lighting Par Questions

[ReefPup]

I have a fluval flex 32.5 and 2 ai prime 16hd's. I plan on renting a par meter from my lfs. I want a mixed tank with softies at the bottom and sps/acros at the top. If I understand correctly that means my par should be 75-100 at the sandbed and 250-300 at the top of the water. Is this correct or am I missing something. Also the primes light a 24×24 area so i will have a bright spot in the center should I tune everything based on that bright spot so I'm not dowsing the tank in too much light?

 

[scotty333]

I have 450 par under each led 3” down where my acros are ( a little to the sides 350) and 150 on the sand where my euphyllias are and fair to say 200-250 in the centre where I have chalice and montis
In the corners is 50 where my mushies, Xenia, leathers, ktc and zoas go

You can plot your readings on a pic when you get the par meter and decide what goes where, don’t forget you’ll need to match flow aswel , welcome to the joys of mixed reefs but imo the best of all worlds
Happy reefing and here’s a shot of my tank so you can put the idea in your head I hope ha

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

The primes coverage of 24" x 24" is at full power, and you want to avoid using full power since this light has a reputation of melting lenses. In reality, this light is more like a focused beam and has weak coverage to the sides. The par meter will help you position the lights to get the best spread.

 

[ReefPup]

I have 450 par under each led 3” down where my acros are ( a little to the sides 350) and 150 on the sand where my euphyllias are and fair to say 200-250 in the centre where I have chalice and montis
In the corners is 50 where my mushies, Xenia, leathers, ktc and zoas go

You can plot your readings on a pic when you get the par meter and decide what goes where, don’t forget you’ll need to match flow aswel , welcome to the joys of mixed reefs but imo the best of all worlds
Happy reefing and here’s a shot of my tank so you can put the idea in your head I hope ha

As far as flow I will have a nero 3 and a sicce 1.5 pump will that be enough?

 

[scotty333]

As far as flow I will have a nero 3 and a sicce 1.5 pump will that be enough?

I don’t know those pumps but you need like 60x the volume of the water for the acros but don’t point pumps at corals just circulating around them

 

[ReefPup]

I don’t know those pumps but you need like 60x the volume of the water for the acros but don’t point pumps at corals just circulating around them

Ok the nero 3 will do about 60× the water volume so I should be ok.

 

[BeanAnimal]

You will find that there are no reliable “PAR” readings because there is no manual or consensus to begin with and PAR is spectrum dependent but does not tell you anything about the suitability (to grow coral) of the spectrum that it measured. So one person may have 250 at the top and another 400, but that means nothing because they are both running different spectrums. Grossly misunderstood and misused tool that a growing number of people put misplaced faith in.