High Tide Aquatics

Par meter results for my 56g

Chrism1330

Supporting Member
Hey guys, I just finished using the par meter yesterday and I took a picture of the tank and put the measurements on the picture of the location like one of the members suggested to do. I’m running two red sea 50s I’m not sure if I have to little light or to much light or just right. I’m currently running 100% Blues, 20% white and 0%purple. All my coral frags are at the bottom cause I’m not sure where to place them at the moment. I do have the torch just sitting at the bottom get lots of flow and the frog spawn way up at the top on the left side of the arch. What’s the best way to ensure proper healthy/growth in corals as far as lighting specs and location?
 

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To me your readings are great for a mixed reef. 100ish at the sand bed and 200ish inches bellow the surface. And for corals specific par I’m sure more knowledgeable reefers will respond but my frogspawn are at 150ish par as well.
 
Got it cause I had one of the torch heads die not sure if they got little light or the other heads were touching it. I assumed they need to be placed with medium to high flow but then I wondered if my light isn’t hitting due to the placement under the arch.
 
Got it cause I had one of the torch heads die not sure if they got little light or the other heads were touching it. I assumed they need to be placed with medium to high flow but then I wondered if my light isn’t hitting due to the placement under the arch.
Torches can be touchy even in the best of conditions. But they do best without direct laminar flow and more turbulent indirect flow (if you watch videos of them in the wild, they don't look like a Rapunzel in a hurricane, more like bad CGI Aquaman hair).


You can increase your white lighting too if you like a whiter look (or ramp it up and down during the day to get a different look). There's only 10w of the LED power in white vs. 40w blue, so it won't change your PAR readings too much.
 
Torches can be touchy even in the best of conditions. But they do best without direct laminar flow and more turbulent indirect flow (if you watch videos of them in the wild, they don't look like a Rapunzel in a hurricane, more like bad CGI Aquaman hair).


You can increase your white lighting too if you like a whiter look (or ramp it up and down during the day to get a different look). There's only 10w of the LED power in white vs. 40w blue, so it won't change your PAR readings too much.
Even if they are different torch strains touching is ok?
 
From understanding (I want/but don’t have) torches need more flow then hammers/frogspawn because if not they are more prone to bacterial infections. They also kill/sting any other corals except other torches. Par is 150ish for them too. Also I like fragbox corals & Tidal Gardens on YouTube for coral specific videos.
 
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