Par reading?

[Hammsreefbeer]

Quick one.....
Ive just down graded my lighting on my 125 from 2x 400w Helio 20kto 2x250 Hamilton 14k,both SE on mag ballast.Im now also running 4x(at the moment only 3)48"54w T5's.Everything was just installed now so bulb's on the T5's havent been chosen yet.Im thinking of running the ATI Blue plus x3 and 1x TRU actinic.

Anyhow,Im wondering w/ my new lights what the (%) is that i lose in PAR w/ the 2 MH bulb's above the top glass braces.With the 400's i never worried about it.I do know the Hamiltons on a M58 ballast have a really good par.

I DO LOVE THESE HAMILTONS!!!


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[mukymuk]

What luck for you. I made some measurements just the other day concerning glass braces and halide PAR.

I have a 1/2" thick center brace in my 120. I put a 400W bulb 5" above the brace and measured the par at the brace and just underneath it and saw a ~20% drop in PAR.

The brace is very near the water surface and so collects bits of grunge and whatnot, so it's not as clear as it could be. It was in it's normal operating condition though

That said, I bet the PAR you get with your new system will be pretty close to what you had with your old one. Maybe even a little better depending on how many actinics you run with.