PAR readings

[shaggy14]

Just borrowed the club par meter to test out my tank. i was pretty disappointed over the readings on the left side of my tank. the highest point(which is a couple inches below the surface at most) was reading in the mid 300's-mid 200's. i was going to move the giant rock with most of the corals attached to it to the right side of the tank, where my sandbed was reading in the 400's. instead, i ordered a lumenmax elite pendant to replace the reef optix3 . the middle of my tank was also reading in the 300's, but i have a center brace so i was expecting that to be lower than the rest.

i am running all phoenix 14k's, one hqi on each end and a mogul in the middle that comes on for four hours each day. the left side of the pic is the low side. the highest reading i got was 593, and that was by the pink lemonade on the right side

 

[shaggy14]

has anyone else gotten lower than expected numbers and how did you fix them?(new pendant, ballast, different bulb?)

 

[shaggy14]

this is the left side. the very top rock is getting a lower reading than the sandbed on the right side shown here:

 

[moo0o]

any reason why the left side of your tank is alot lower? Different reflectors? Ballast?

just so you know, the lumen max elite creates a spotlight effect.. I'm using one and i know EXACTLY where all my light is. The cut off is clear and apparent and at first was annoying but i learned to live with it.

 

[ct_vol]

IMO Reflectors have the biggest effect on PAR readings...

As moo0o stated, the LME has a spotlight effect, but within that spotlight are some ridiculous PAR readings... I moved them from my 120 to my 150g because they bleached some of my acros... The PAR readings I got from the LME's about 2 inches from the surface were around 1000, where as the same bulb (Aquaconnect) and ballast (Ice Cap), on a Lumenarc reflector was around 400... The Lumenarc has a wider coverage area, so I opted to stay with those on my main display...

 

[serpentman]

+1

I am running 3 x 250W Reeflux 20Ks with Lumen Bright reflectors x 4 VHO actinics. The tank height is 27". Although I think the bulbs are killer, I think the reflectors are the main reason I am getting the PAR I am:

 

[shaggy14]

I am running a reef optix on the left and a lumenmax( not the elite) on the right. The bulbs are all the same age within a month. The par levels right above the water are crazy high, but you can really tell just by looking at it that one side is brighter.

 

[naldopr]

serpentman I like those numbers!

 

[shaggy14]

How doyoy edit you picture so you can put the numbers in?

 

[ct_vol]

Most photo-editing software programs (photoshop) allow you to do so...

 

[poidog81]

I read that the phoenix bulbs don't have the greatest PAR. 150w 20k Radiums have a higher PAR then the phoenix's.

 

[CubeNoob]

True, where the Phoenix lacks in PAR when put up against the Radium it more than makes up for it in PUR. I definately get more growth from the Phoenix then I do with the Radium even though the Radium has a higher PAR. The Phoenix is also bluer than the Radium.

Phoenix

Radium

 

[steve9]

check those par no on those bulbs a year from now and you will see why pheonix blubs are the best ones to have.

 

[2006]

Cube how far from the phoenix bulb is the sensor in your photo? Is the phoenix bulb 150 watt DE? I have a lux meter and want to convert to par.

 

[CubeNoob]

It is a SE 250w Phoenix run on a PFO HQI Ballast. Sensor is 15" below the center of the bulb. Using a LumenBright reflector. Bulb had 3 weeks of daily use before testing/picture taken.

Ballast

Bulbs I tested (Phoenix is the brown box one top right)

 

[2006]

Thanks for the quick reply Cube. Unfortunately I can't use your numbers. I have a phoenix 14K 150 watt in a sunpod.

 

[poidog81]

My reference was also to the 150w DE bulbs.
Anyone with 150w DE PAR reading on these two bulbs??