PAR tested Noopsyche K7 mini on IM 15gal cube

[Erikinsac]

Good morning all. I'm a noob around here but I thought I'd help out a little. Just got my IM15 nano tank set up. I rented an Apogee MQ-510 PAR meter from yourreef.com (they are local to me, nice shop btw)

I did tests with all channels (W/B/V) at 100%, 50%, 25% and 20% (20% center of tank only).

I also did a test at 30% in the center of the tank and moved each channel from 0-100%, one at a time, to see how much effect it had on PAR. Not surprisingly, the blue channel carries most of the energy. Violet had the least impact. See notes on my drawings attached.

Other notes: the light sits 7" above the water level. It was also slightly closer to the front wall than the rear wall. centered left to right. that's just how I could get the arm to bend. shouldn't change the reading too much.

Conclusion was, this 60W light is overkill at 100% on this little 15" cube. looks like the sweet spot will be 25 to 30% blue for softies/lps. adjust the other colors as needed.

Yes, my light is off in the tank pics, I have no livestock yet, soon!

Anyway, hope this helps some of the others out with this light/tank combo. I am glad I tested because the 50% I was guessing at was way too much par.

 

[blaxsun]

Hopefully this will be useful for those looking for par values. Thanks!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Great info to those that need it!!!

 

[Fapman]

TY!

 

[exnisstech]

Good work. This should really help some folks. I found a par meter is the most valuable peice of equipment I have purchased. In the past I could never keep a clam alive. It was because they weren't getting enough light even though the lights looked bright to my eyes.

 

[Bahri]

Thank you for sharing your experiment , I have this tank and the dimensions of it are: 450x450x400mm

could you please recommend me the best settings that suit with that tank?

 

[Erikinsac]

probably peaking around 30% is perfect. try it for a week or two and see if corals are happy

 

[Bahri]

probably peaking around 30% is perfect. try it for a week or two and see if corals are happy

could you export and share the settings of your light from the app?

 

[tbrown3589]

Good morning all. I'm a noob around here but I thought I'd help out a little. Just got my IM15 nano tank set up. I rented an Apogee MQ-510 PAR meter from yourreef.com (they are local to me, nice shop btw)

I did tests with all channels (W/B/V) at 100%, 50%, 25% and 20% (20% center of tank only).

I also did a test at 30% in the center of the tank and moved each channel from 0-100%, one at a time, to see how much effect it had on PAR. Not surprisingly, the blue channel carries most of the energy. Violet had the least impact. See notes on my drawings attached.

Other notes: the light sits 7" above the water level. It was also slightly closer to the front wall than the rear wall. centered left to right. that's just how I could get the arm to bend. shouldn't change the reading too much.

Conclusion was, this 60W light is overkill at 100% on this little 15" cube. looks like the sweet spot will be 25 to 30% blue for softies/lps. adjust the other colors as needed.

Yes, my light is off in the tank pics, I have no livestock yet, soon!

Anyway, hope this helps some of the others out with this light/tank combo. I am glad I tested because the 50% I was guessing at was way too much par.

View attachment 3050001 View attachment 3050002 View attachment 3050004 View attachment 3050005 View attachment 3050006 View attachment 3050008 View attachment 3050009

@Mhamilton0911

 

[Erikinsac]

could you export and share the settings of your light from the app?

been trying this out for the past week and it's working great! Corals are all happy and puffed up and colorful. trying to mimic clouds and stuff, I forget the name of the cycle I saw someone share. this is a generic version of that. keep in mind my tank is 15" tall and the light is about 7" above the water line.

 

[Fapman]

been trying this out for the past week and it's working great! Corals are all happy and puffed up and colorful. trying to mimic clouds and stuff, I forget the name of the cycle I saw someone share. this is a generic version of that. keep in mind my tank is 15" tall and the light is about 7" above the water line.

View attachment 3096694 View attachment 3096695

I like this; I have SPS; do you think i will need to raise the blues? I have the same tank and light.

 

[Erikinsac]

if they are middle to high up it might be enough. just watch them. I'm no expert but I would ramp up to a max par slowly instead of too much and lower. I'm not sure where most sps are happy at.
someone else said 5% per week, you could try that. 50% all channels was upper 200s approaching 300 at the top. find a happy medium in there somewhere

 

[APlusAquatics]

Great info! These lights seem to be a solid value!

 

[Sleeping Giant]

Good morning all. I'm a noob around here but I thought I'd help out a little. Just got my IM15 nano tank set up. I rented an Apogee MQ-510 PAR meter from yourreef.com (they are local to me, nice shop btw)

I did tests with all channels (W/B/V) at 100%, 50%, 25% and 20% (20% center of tank only).

I also did a test at 30% in the center of the tank and moved each channel from 0-100%, one at a time, to see how much effect it had on PAR. Not surprisingly, the blue channel carries most of the energy. Violet had the least impact. See notes on my drawings attached.

Other notes: the light sits 7" above the water level. It was also slightly closer to the front wall than the rear wall. centered left to right. that's just how I could get the arm to bend. shouldn't change the reading too much.

Conclusion was, this 60W light is overkill at 100% on this little 15" cube. looks like the sweet spot will be 25 to 30% blue for softies/lps. adjust the other colors as needed.

Yes, my light is off in the tank pics, I have no livestock yet, soon!

Anyway, hope this helps some of the others out with this light/tank combo. I am glad I tested because the 50% I was guessing at was way too much par.

View attachment 3050001 View attachment 3050002 View attachment 3050004 View attachment 3050005 View attachment 3050006 View attachment 3050008 View attachment 3050009

how deep is your tank

 

[Erikinsac]

how deep is your tank

15" cube. 1" sanded. water line about 3/4" from upper edge. so, 13.25" water depth. light is 7" above water surface

 

[lukarooni]

Hello @Erikinsac I am quite new to the reefing hobby as well and since I have the Noo-Psyche K7 Mini on my tank I really appreciate your contributions to this with the PAR meter. My tank is a standard 10 gallon long (dimensions 20.25" long, 10.5" wide, 13" tall) new mixed reef of softies and LPS that still isn't fully stocked, so now I'm really trying to get my lighting dialed in. I didn't realize how strong this light is so while my corals certainly don't seem too angry/seem like they are dying, they definitely aren't the happiest they can be I'm pretty sure. But I was wondering if you had any recommendations on a lighting schedule, and I was also wondering why are there x's in the back middle of your PAR drawings for the 25% page?

 

[Erikinsac]

Hi. I typed an entire response and the app crashed. anyway, you can use my settings and adjust as needed, but your tank shape and scape might be quite a bit different than mine, but it'll get you in the ball park. The zig zag lines are supposed to be like clouds. The Xs on my chart were just locations I didn't take readings at certain light levels.

 

[Fapman]

Hi. I typed an entire response and the app crashed. anyway, you can use my settings and adjust as needed, but your tank shape and scape might be quite a bit different than mine, but it'll get you in the ball park. The zig zag lines are supposed to be like clouds. The Xs on my chart were just locations I didn't take readings at certain light levels.

What kind of corals are you keeping?

 

[Erikinsac]

What kind of corals are you keeping?

several small assorted zoas, a trachy, 2 small torches, a toadstool leather, 3 small gonis, ricordea mushroom, acans 5 rock flower anemones, only SPS are monti digi, Stylocoeniella, small chalice and a cyphastrea. Everything is doing fine so far and growing