PAR Meter

[seased]

Here is a picture of my tank with some PAR meter results. I was really disappointed in the low numbers. javascript:smilie('') Basically, the level where my corals are located, the PAR is at or below 150. Paul's numbers under his halide was at least 300. This may explain why my corals have such poor colors. Here are the tank specs: 90 gallon reef ready. The lights are 250W 20k Radium's SE running on Coralvue electronic ballast. The reflectors are the standard half moons that came with the sockets. I do not run any supplemental lights. Also, the bulbs are less than 6 months old. Any recommendations on what I could do to increase my PAR? Should I look at replacing the reflectors?

 

[seased]

oops, made my picture too small - the 2 squares at the top of the tank are 220 and 215 - about 6" below the surface. Down on the rocks where the corals are located, it averages 120-150.

 

[cee]

You can crank up those ballasts to produce more PAR but the temperature will run a bit cooler. PM me and I'll tell you how but you've got to be "comfortable" around electricity or you could get shocked.

Dave

 

[Wildman]

Who's par meter is it? I would like to rent it if possible. Please let me know the protocol.

 

[ct_vol]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14662044#post14662044 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cee
you've got to be "comfortable" around electricity or you could get shocked.

:eek2:

Thats why I don't play with electricity...


Travis~ The reef club owns it... All members have access to it, but you have to wait your turn... Not sure who is supposed to have it next... Kim (anchovy) is in charge of keeping track of it... It comes to all meetings though...

 

[fishdoc11]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14662324#post14662324 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ct_vol
:eek2:

Thats why I don't play with electricity...

It's not any more dangerous than the back end of a horse
At least you know when the electricity will kick you!

 

[Runner]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14662453#post14662453 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishdoc11
At least you know when the electricity will kick you!

That would be about the time you get too comfortable around it -- like me when I grabbed live 480 VAC a few years back.

Send me a PM, Dave, and let me know what you have in mind. I'd be interested in your boosting idea.

 

[cee]

There is a Bourns potentiometer in the CV ballasts that adjusts their output power. If cranked up, they can produce close to what a HQI ballast is capable of putting out. If you don't have the right tools or slip, your tools can easily end up in the high voltage section and exposed to several hundred volts with an amp or so behind it, so it can easily kill you if conditions are right. CCW is higher intensity, but keep in mind that most American bulbs suffer reduced lifetime when run at higher power levels. Radiums (250 W) are actually optimized to run at these levels.

 

[seased]

thanks - here's a bigger picture so you can read the numbers

Would swapping out to better reflectors have much of an effect on the PAR?

 

[seased]

thanks Dave - I'm not too comfortable on doing the electrical mod.

Are these numbers in line for this ballast/bulb combo?

 

[cee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14664362#post14664362 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by seased
Would swapping out to better reflectors have much of an effect on the PAR?

Yes, and it could substantially increase them. As far as your numbers go, I don't know. Color temperature has a lot to do with PAR meter readings as they don't accurately measure output as you get more towards the blue/purple/UV end of the spectrum unless you spend big bucks on one. Therefore, I find them to only be valid for relative comparisons, so unless you know Paul is running the same bulb/ballast combination, I wouldn't put too much into comparing against his numbers.

Intensity (or PAR) falls off as something like 1/distance squared from the light source. That why Sanjay's numbers (taken at 18" from the bulb) and Joe's numbers (cnidarian reef, taken at 8") differ for the same bulb/ballast. HTH.

Dave

 

[seased]

I believe that Paul is running 250W Aquaconnects on an Icecast electronic ballast. Also, he is using a lumenarc reflector - I think that's the brand, but may be some other type of higher quality reflector.

 

[ct_vol]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14664395#post14664395 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cee
Yes, and it could substantially increase them.

When Paul was deciding upon which ballast to get, he came over and we tested my tanks...

We mainly tested the Lumenarc Reflectors with the Aquaconnects, since that is what Paul has... The difference between my Ice Cap and Lumatek ballasts were only about 10-25...

For S&G we then switched from the Lumenarcs to my LumenMax elites with Aquaconnects and a Lumatek ballast... The PAR numbers jumped from 400+ directly under the bulb about 10" from the water surface with the LA's, to 1000+ with the LE's... That being said, the LE's have a narrower light column than the LA's... But I could not believe the numbers the LE's put out... When they say they are meant for 30"+ deep tanks, they mean it...

 

[seased]

what are some good places to get the higher quality reflectors?

 

[cee]

Aquaconnects are considerably higher in PAR. Too high for my setup, in fact, and that's why I discontinued using them after a few months even though I had almost $300 invested in the bulbs. They also have a "whiter" spectrum, which the PAR meter is better suited to detect, so the PAR measure by the meter would naturally read higher on those bulbs.

If you look at the following chart, you'll see what I mean. Ideal response is in red, producing the same response for all frequencies of light. However, most fall off in the blue/violet spectrum. Since your Radiums are optimized to about 450 nm, the meter response is about 70% of what is really present.
http://www.apogee-inst.com/quantumsensor_techinfoSPECTRAL.htm

 

[ct_vol]

As far as whether or not a quality reflector makes a difference or not, Bryan (ironman) in the CRC posted this pic when he upgraded from normal parabolic reflectors to SS Lumenmax reflectors... I thought it showed best the difference a quality reflector can make... You can see on the left, the intensity of the LM reflector, where as there are more shadows on the right side... That was the biggest difference I noted when I changed to LA's... Not near as many shadows...

Dave S.~ You can get a quality reflector from most any of the higher quality online vendors... I guess it would depend as to what brand you were looking to get??? SS Lumenmax, LumenBrights, and LumenArcs are all great reflectors... I know Matt is a distributor of Sunlight Supply, so you might talk to him about ordering you some Lumenmax... He has some at CR set up over the coral tank on the right hand side as you walk toward the back if you want to see them in person...

 

[seased]

thanks, that picture really shows a big difference! - I went ahead and ordered 2 lumen bright minis from Premium Aquatics. I did not know that the CR carried this type of reflector. From what I read, the lumen brights and the lumenmax reflectors offer a more "focused" output where the lumenarcs give more of a spread. Also, they said that lumen brights and lumenmax are better for tanks less than 2.5ft. I'm anxious to see what effect these will have on my PAR readings. Also, hopefully my corals will start to look better and get good colors.

 

[ironman2]

just thought I would add alittle info for anyone interested in the reflector issues. here are the par readings from different reflector and bulb , ballast combinations I tried.
Also something to keep in mind and randy you may know this, we learned with out club par meter, they must be calibrated I think yearly. I took my readings with a brand new par meter, and they were alot higher than the readings our several year old club par meter reads.

For some of you who like to tinker or just learn alittle here and there about new products here is some readings I took today with some different reflectors and bulbs.
These readings are using multiple variables including type of ballast, type of reflector and type of bulb.

First set of readings is from a 250 watt Hamilton Ballast with a Hamilton 14K bulb, and a Parabolic Reflector.(Bulb is 9 months old)

6" Below bulb (Above Water) - 600 par
1" Below water line - 120 par
6" below water line - 100 par
12" below water line - 90 par
18" below water line - 75 par
24" below water line - 40 par


----------------------------------------------------------------

Icecap 250 watt Electronic ballast, Lumenmax Reflector, and 9 month old Hamilton 14K bulb. Was also run with same hamilton ballast as above test, No noticable difference in par.

6" below bulb (above water) - 1600 par
1" below water line - 700 par
6" below water line - 620 par
12" below water line - 500 par
18" below water line - 375 par
24" below water line - 330 par


-------------------------------------------------------------------

Icecap 250 watt electronic ballast, lumenmax reflector, and new radium 20K bulb.

6" below bulb (above water) - alittle over 2000par (Meter shuts down over 2000)
1" below water line - 850 par
6" below water line - 660 par
12" below water line - 510 par
18" below water line - 400 par
24" below water line - 350 par

 

[seased]

thanks for everyone's help! I am now a firm believer in good reflectors. I installed my new lumen bright minis this weekend. I am real happy with my new numbers

 

[GPhiAce]

nice, looks alot better. What all lights do you have on since it looks so blue.