Can PAR affect PE?

[Bigmike]

Im not liking my new 14k Ushio color and it seems they are verrrrry dim compared to my old 10ks and they even seem more yellow!? Im wondering if theyre not firing correctly. Since switching my bulbs Ive lost a lot of PE on many corals, not all, but most.

Is there any way PAR values affect PE?

 

[Reefer577]

Are you using 250's or what? We were using 400w 14k Ushio for our tanks and they were just fine. We just had to stop using them cause they were too strong. They looked fairly blue, not yellow.

I'm not sure if par will effect pe, but light intensity def does. Maybe trying sending yours back for a new pair?

 

[rtbm]

this is an interesting question.

I have recently experienced what i believe to be difference in PE directly related to par

In the process of switching fromm 400 watt halides to 250 hqi's I ended up having to temporarily use an oler icecap ballast and threw a low par blv 20k on till the backordered m80 ballast came.

I noticed right away that my PE was considerably more under the dimmer lights. Especially that the tip polyp that normally comes out at night seemed to stay out all day.

My only thought was that the large reduction in par and brightness sort of confused the coral into a lower light feeding state or something like that.

either way I think that the lower par and the PE were definantly related.

 

[saltygeek]

I've noticed this too. I recently switched from 20 XM bulbs to 14k Phoenix. I noticed on my "fuzzy" acro that the polyps directly under the bulb weren't quite as fuzzy for a little while. Now after a few weeks they are starting to get "fuzzier" again. All "regular" polyped acros showed no difference.

 

[Bigmike]

Yeah the 14k 250w. Not many people using the 250w 14k Ushios from what Ive read, i think they just came out with them. You guys think I should try to borrow a ballast to switch out and try, or send the bulbs back and get something I know works well?