PAR Reading - How bad is it?

[NeedBiggerTank]

So, we finally got the club PAR meter out of the box and tested our tank... and are now curious just how bad these readings are?

6" under water - 355

1/2 way down - 235

bottom - 100

Tank is 24" deep. These are the "average" readings of the readings we got. I was having trouble getting the little senor thing to lay flat on the bottom - so I'm not sure that bottom reading is accurate.

Thanks. :wavehand:

 

[Jennifier615]

If we can use this one day I am interested in seeing what ours is.

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

I'm not sure who is up next to use it, but we are bringing it to the meeting tomorrow.

 

[poolkeeper1]

Next in line

Next in line

If we can use this one day I am interested in seeing what ours is.

Jennifer, I was next in line but my lights are not finished yet and as long as you bring the Par Meter back to Spring Hill you can take it next if whoever is waiting next is OK with that. Otherwise it should go to whoever is next after me and i will get it when my lights are complete, Hopefully by next weekend as I have my parts now just need Brandon to get the time to finish his part. Unless I get brave and try it myself. I would rather wait on Brandon as would like to rearrainge some dimmable LED's on certain strings.
Bill
PS, Your numbers are not bad at all, They could be better but are good enough for most corals. Keep the higher light loving ones higher in the tank and you will be fine.
Bill

 

[zef004]

If we can use this one day I am interested in seeing what ours is.

jennifier gannmann9876 is after bill. get with him if he need it yet. I believe he doing a diy led buld too. just dont know if he is ready for it yet.

jen on your par reading. how high is your lights off the water? and how old are your bulbs. what type of of lighting. this type of info will help us help you.
but those par is not to bad but it may get better. if the bulds are old or dirty.
softies 50-250par
lps 100-300 par
sps 100-500par
now this is just a guide I go by.

 

[gannmann9876]

i just need it for a day or so. i want to test the par on my t5s and compare the readings to the leds. my leds wont be here until March 3rd. i just want to test them both we will get together at the meeting and work it out

 

[shanealanbeaty]

I was told 12/22/10 that I was after Lindsey and Brat to use the PAR Meter

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

I have a 48" 4 bulb T5HO AquaticLife fixture. Believe each bulb is 54W.

I have installed:

Current 10K (6 months old)
Geissman Actinic Plus (brand new)
Current 10K (6 months old)
Geissman Actinic Plus (brand new)
4 - 1w blue LED moonlight (all new)

Fixture is on legs about 3.5 inches above the tank. Tank is covered with glass top and fixture has a lense. Lense was cleaned when I installed the new Geissman bulbs last week.

If I have time, I was going to remove the legs and sit the fixture down on the glass lids and run the test again - just to see if the PAR changes.

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

Didn't have time to remove legs - its a real chore as they are in channels and you basically have to take the thing apart. However, I did get a reading of 660 PAR with the meter thingy sitting on top of the water and a reading of 475 about 1" under ther water. So. if I take the legs off (when I have time) bringing the fixture 3.5 or so inches closer to the water, wouldn't this increase the PAR readings I got yesterday? Just curiuos.

Oh - and what bulbs should replace the two Current 10Ks with when it is time?

 

[zef004]

I was told 12/22/10 that I was after Lindsey and Brat to use the PAR Meter

I send you a pm after the swap and no reply. About the frag you didn't pickup at the swap and the par meter.

Didn't have time to remove legs - its a real chore as they are in channels and you basically have to take the thing apart. However, I did get a reading of 660 PAR with the meter thingy sitting on top of the water and a reading of 475 about 1" under ther water. So. if I take the legs off (when I have time) bringing the fixture 3.5 or so inches closer to the water, wouldn't this increase the PAR readings I got yesterday? Just curiuos.

Oh - and what bulbs should replace the two Current 10Ks with when it is time?

Well wish you had more time with it. I would say to take the glass off the top of the tank and for new bulbs I like ati sun something. Haven't got any T5 bulbs in a long time. But if there 6month old then you should be fine for 6-8 more months. The reflector has a big part of par too.