PAR Readings for Noopsyche K7 Pro III on my 125

[franx]

I took PAR readings in my standard 125 gallon display tank (72 inches long, 21 inches tall) and thought I'd share in case anyone else is looking at a similar setup. I used the Apogee SQ-420 meter.

I have 3 lights on this tank: one in the center, and one centered on each overflow box. They are positioned 10 inches above the water. I took readings with the all lights except red+green at 50%, (red+green at 10% each), then another with lights at 100% (red+green still at 10%).

*Readings marked with an asterisk are directly beneath the horizontal brace, adding a good bit of shadow.

Here's one final set of readings with lights at 50% again, but I lowered the lights to 7 inches above the water. Most numbers don't go up substantially, but there are several more shaded spots where the readings actually go down. Looks like 10 inches above the water produces much more consistent results.

This obviously won't be the same for everyone, and there are lots of shady spots under the rocks, etc. But hopefully this gives you some idea of what 3 of these lights can output over a 6 ft tank. Big thanks to @Zach B!

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

You might want to try mounting them vertically and see how the coverage is. That's some serious shading.

Interesting to see, thanks for posting.

 

[franx]

Do you mean rotated 90 degrees?

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

I mean mounting them front to back instead of longways across the tank. I don't think that would help though as your tank is long and three wouldn't be enough to cover it if you mounted them back to front.

I've seen numerous corals grown under the Noopsyche and they definitely can grow coral. Are you just setting your system up or what stage are you in?

 

[franx]

That makes sense, and yeah, I imagine it would just concentrate the light more, unless I got a fourth light. I’m considering that, but this also seems like plenty of light to grow whatever I want for now, as long as I’m careful about positioning. I’ll see how it goes.

It’s a new system, using a lot of equipment from a tank I kept 16-17 years ago (but not the lights, obviously!) In this incarnation, it’s been running for a couple months, and I’m just starting to add the first frags.

 

[J.chemicals]

Maybe supplement with a T5? That'll solve your shading problem.

 

[N1tew0lf1212]

Thank you for this it will help a lot of people in the long run that dont have access to a par meter....nice looking build going to look awesome with corals and filled in....you going to be lps or sps dominant or are you doing a mixed reef?

 

[N1tew0lf1212]

Noops are amazing lights i have 2 140s on my 55g frag tank and love em....i will be throwin em on my 220 build once finished for the price you cant beat em....i know quite a few people turning to em....here is a shot of the frag build....you have a build thread rolling would totally follow...

 

[franx]

Love that frag tank! No build thread yet - I’ll try to get one going this week.

 

[N1tew0lf1212]

Love that frag tank! No build thread yet - I’ll try to get one going this week.

Thanks well I started following you so as soon as you do ill join in with some shenanigans lol.

 

[franx]

The plan is for an LPS-dominant mixed tank, with a fair amount of SPS but I want to give it a few more months before adding any.

 

[Gtinnel]

I’m using the V3 on my rimmed 125 also. To avoid getting shadowing I have 6 of them over my tank and I’m very happy with the coverage.

 

[N1tew0lf1212]

I’m using the V3 on my rimmed 125 also. To avoid getting shadowing I have 6 of them over my tank and I’m very happy with the coverage.

I was waiting for you to come in and glad another noop fan is in on this...

 

[franx]

I’m using the V3 on my rimmed 125 also. To avoid getting shadowing I have 6 of them over my tank and I’m very happy with the coverage.

I don’t think I have room in the canopy for that many power bricks!

 

[N1tew0lf1212]

I don’t think I have room in the canopy for that many power bricks!

Controller cabinet? Do it....

 

[Gtinnel]

I actually initially put 5 over my tank with one in the middle and two on each side but the shadowing under the braces drove me insane. I was going to buy a 6th but got lucky and won one more in a giveaway.
I built a cabinet beside my tank for my electronics and I mounted all of the power bricks on the backside of it. My lights are just hanging from the ceiling with a mounting rail.

 

[franx]

This is the whole cabinet - I spent a year building the thing before adding a drop of water! I have some space in one of the shelf sections for a reef-pi and stuff, so I could probably find someplace to put it all - I’m just not convinced I definitely need it. Do you think, if I’m not putting some SPS directly in the shaded spots, that it’s going to cause trouble growing corals? Is it that important for it to be the same across the whole tank?

 

[N1tew0lf1212]

View attachment 3126307
This is the whole cabinet - I spent a year building the thing before adding a drop of water! I have some space in one of the shelf sections for a reef-pi and stuff, so I could probably find someplace to put it all - I’m just not convinced I definitely need it. Do you think, if I’m not putting some SPS directly in the shaded spots, that it’s going to cause trouble growing corals? Is it that important for it to be the same across the whole tank?

I think judging by your par readings just place according to that and you would be fine....i know someone that put reflective tape on the inside of a shade which helped bounce the light around maybe adding some tape in the canopy would help depending on placement. Or a custom shade might work to get a good reflection bouncing around @Projects with Sam is the guy to talk with about anything 3d print in my opinion. Could maybe design something that is light weight that could help...

 

[franx]

That’s an interesting idea. I do a lot of 3D printing myself, so it’s something I could experiment with. Appreciate the tip!

 

[N1tew0lf1212]

Even a down angle in the canopy of some kind with reflection tape might help the shadow from the braces get a diff angle reflecting it down...