Wally.B
Active member
I started a SPS tank about a year ago (my first).
Many struggles, but I have things quite stable NOW and corals health and growing to some degree. But I'm still baffled on how run my lights properly. (I think I burned them at a point, then under lighted them, started Algae blooms, etc, while trying to figure out Light Heights, and PhotoPeriods with a MH/T5(ho) setup.
I started with (2x 150W MH) & (1x 1 VHO), then converted to (250W MH), then recently convertred (VHO) to (2x T5). It been a struggle to figure out photoperiod and light heights since I didn't have a par meter. Always planned to get one.
I searched around again and by luck found that my near by Scientific Store, just got a Apogee MQ-200, and they are renting it for $20/day or $60 a week. Picked it up today, and can return Monday or keep it a week.
So I have all weekend to do some measurements to FINALLY figure out my lights, and get these corals properly exposed.
How should I go about to PAR measure my tank with the Apogee MQ-200?
First question how?
- Grid measure tank ( from left to right, and front to back at various depths?)
- Then do some measurements at various coral positions, and on rocks positions for future corals?
Next question conversion?
- I read manual and there is a table with % corrections for MH, and T5 (cool white). I guess I simply convert with a + or - % on Par reading for the type of light running.
Next question combination
- Do I measure (MH) only, (T5) and then (MH + T5)?
Last question photoperiod
- After all these measurements, how do I figure out what are the best photoperiods. (ie T5's for an 3 hours, MH for 4 hours, followed by T5's for 2 hours).
THE LAST QUESTION IS how to I combine the PAR readings into Photoperiods to figure out how to run my lighting setup. If there is an simple answer..
(IE. A par reading is just a snapshot reading at a moment. So how many PAR minutes does a coral need? Is there a formula/Table).
(IE Or do you target 6 hours Photo Period, and then figure out PARs you need for each coral).
(If there is an answer, then first step will be to set the lighting and then probably move some of the SPS's around based on their lighting needs).
I assume there are some resources out there with PAR tables for various SPS corals.
Many thanks for any advice.
Wally
Many struggles, but I have things quite stable NOW and corals health and growing to some degree. But I'm still baffled on how run my lights properly. (I think I burned them at a point, then under lighted them, started Algae blooms, etc, while trying to figure out Light Heights, and PhotoPeriods with a MH/T5(ho) setup.
I started with (2x 150W MH) & (1x 1 VHO), then converted to (250W MH), then recently convertred (VHO) to (2x T5). It been a struggle to figure out photoperiod and light heights since I didn't have a par meter. Always planned to get one.
I searched around again and by luck found that my near by Scientific Store, just got a Apogee MQ-200, and they are renting it for $20/day or $60 a week. Picked it up today, and can return Monday or keep it a week.
So I have all weekend to do some measurements to FINALLY figure out my lights, and get these corals properly exposed.
How should I go about to PAR measure my tank with the Apogee MQ-200?
First question how?
- Grid measure tank ( from left to right, and front to back at various depths?)
- Then do some measurements at various coral positions, and on rocks positions for future corals?
Next question conversion?
- I read manual and there is a table with % corrections for MH, and T5 (cool white). I guess I simply convert with a + or - % on Par reading for the type of light running.
Next question combination
- Do I measure (MH) only, (T5) and then (MH + T5)?
Last question photoperiod
- After all these measurements, how do I figure out what are the best photoperiods. (ie T5's for an 3 hours, MH for 4 hours, followed by T5's for 2 hours).
THE LAST QUESTION IS how to I combine the PAR readings into Photoperiods to figure out how to run my lighting setup. If there is an simple answer..
(IE. A par reading is just a snapshot reading at a moment. So how many PAR minutes does a coral need? Is there a formula/Table).
(IE Or do you target 6 hours Photo Period, and then figure out PARs you need for each coral).
(If there is an answer, then first step will be to set the lighting and then probably move some of the SPS's around based on their lighting needs).
I assume there are some resources out there with PAR tables for various SPS corals.
Many thanks for any advice.
Wally
