PAR Meter

[DAS212]

Hey guys,

Trying to get a good PAR reading for my AI Vegas over my tank. I am trying to grow SPS and want to get a good PAR. I have found studies for a single light but since they overlap it is not accurate. Does anyone know we're these can be rented?

 

[FishBeard]

To be totally honest, with LED, don't even bother. The readings off the handhelds are so inaccurate you will just get frustrated. You are better off following others experiences with the lights on their tanks, and mimic the output and photoperiods that worked for them.

 

[madjoe]

To be totally honest, with LED, don't even bother. The readings off the handhelds are so inaccurate you will just get frustrated. You are better off following others experiences with the lights on their tanks, and mimic the output and photoperiods that worked for them.

? Inaccurate

 

[FishBeard]

The handhelds like the apogee that most locals use, they can be off by as much as 30% when reading PAR from LED fixtures. Lab grade spectrometers are more accurate but in the thousands of dollars range.

Your better off starting with lower light from the LED and raise the output a little every few days and observe how your corals are doing. If you see bleaching, you are overdoing it. LEDs are much more powerful lights than most people expect when they start using them.

 

[DAS212]

My corals are starting to fade in color but I assumed it was because of possibly poor water parameter, even though my tests showed my tank was fine. I currently have two Vegas mounted over a 3ft tank. Both are at 70%

 

[nvdiz]

There's someone here who would come out and measure out PAR readings for fifty bucks or so. Forgot his/her name...

 

[FishBeard]

My corals are starting to fade in color but I assumed it was because of possibly poor water parameter, even though my tests showed my tank was fine. I currently have two Vegas mounted over a 3ft tank. Both are at 70%

Fade in color like browning out, or whitening up like bleaching out? Brown corals would be not enough light or poor conditions, bleached coloring is too much light and/or not enough nutrients.

 

[thinkfuture]

I got a PAR meter I'm willing to let people borrow.
Not sure how to work out the borrow / rent out part, it is an expensive gadget.

 

[DAS212]

I got a PAR meter I'm willing to let people borrow.
Not sure how to work out the borrow / rent out part, it is an expensive gadget.

That would be great

 

[DAS212]

Fade in color like browning out, or whitening up like bleaching out? Brown corals would be not enough light or poor conditions, bleached coloring is too much light and/or not enough nutrients.

I will reply with a more detailed analysis in a few hours when I am home to look at each piece individually.

 

[fwadiver]

i have one as well, its inaccurate as a 1:1 but is good for a comparison of settings to baseline where your tank is at. Corals going south could be all sorts of things, if they are new additions especially with LEDs light acclimation is very important.

 

[DAS212]

Fade in color like browning out, or whitening up like bleaching out? Brown corals would be not enough light or poor conditions, bleached coloring is too much light and/or not enough nutrients.

Okay so on some of the coral, they are starting to turn a lighter color which could be attributed to high light? Im noticing some small amount of browning but maybe that is normal. My current parameters are

Temp: 78.9 (Reef Keeper Light)
Calcium (480)
Alk: 5DKH or 89.5ppmKH
Phosphate: 0
Nitrate: 0
Mag: Buying test kit tomorrow when I get water
pH: Calibrating RKL probe tomorrow also

 

[thinkfuture]

Dave,
Corals browning out causes is due to limitation of light exposure / parameter swings / stress
Corals turning White is due to rapid swing in the system parameters. Another possibility is RTN, where the SPS is bleached in a matter of hours, & this has occurred due to various reasons & no pin point reason has been attributed to it.

Another observation is: If your alk is too high or rapid swings your corals will start bleaching from the bottom up.

From your parameters, your alkalinity is very very low. Needs to be around 8-9 dkh. If you correct alk, your calcium will balance out to the right area of ~430-440.
Another reason for the corals to stress is high phosphates. Although you say our Phosphates is 0, unless you use a photometer to measure phosphates you can't be certain it is 0.

Be cautions on how you bring your alk levels up. Do it very slowly. Rapid swings in alkalinity is the main cause for losing corals.

 

[lysy85reef]

alk low

 

[DAS212]

Dave,
Corals browning out causes is due to limitation of light exposure / parameter swings / stress
Corals turning White is due to rapid swing in the system parameters. Another possibility is RTN, where the SPS is bleached in a matter of hours, & this has occurred due to various reasons & no pin point reason has been attributed to it.

Another observation is: If your alk is too high or rapid swings your corals will start bleaching from the bottom up.

From your parameters, your alkalinity is very very low. Needs to be around 8-9 dkh. If you correct alk, your calcium will balance out to the right area of ~430-440.
Another reason for the corals to stress is high phosphates. Although you say our Phosphates is 0, unless you use a photometer to measure phosphates you can't be certain it is 0.

Be cautions on how you bring your alk levels up. Do it very slowly. Rapid swings in alkalinity is the main cause for losing corals.

Shaun,

Any whitening or browning i am experiencing on my corals is located only on the top most tips of the coral.

How to I go about increasing ALK? Do I use something like this REd Sea Foundation for ALK ( http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/500-ml-red-sea-reef-foundation-b-alk.html ) or is there a "natural" way to raise alk without getting my tank on a dosing cycle?

- Dave

 

[thinkfuture]

Coral tips whitening reason is mainly due to lower alk. Now that we have a reason for the cause, there are numerous ways to increase alkalinity.

1. Use Soda Ash http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-bulk-soda-ash-sodium-carbonate-aquarium-supplement.html
Pros: Very cheap
Cons: Will have to wait for shipping & prepare the solution mix

2. There are various bottled products available at LFS, like B-ionic which is used to increase alk. The link you provided is pretty much this category.
Pros: Easy to use off the bottle & available at most LFS
Cons: Expensive

3. You can make your own Alkalinity & Calcium mixture using Baking soda & Dow Flakes. If you search around the internet on "DIY 2 Part solution" or "DIY Alkalinity & Calcium" you will find various recipes to either increase the existing value / maintenance (replenish) mixtures.

If you need anything urgent, swing by with a water sample to test for phosphates & I can give you some Alkalinity solution to get your alk up slowly (I don't have much, I have to order more, but I can give you sufficient to get started).

 

[DAS212]

Coral tips whitening reason is mainly due to lower alk. Now that we have a reason for the cause, there are numerous ways to increase alkalinity.

1. Use Soda Ash http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-bulk-soda-ash-sodium-carbonate-aquarium-supplement.html
Pros: Very cheap
Cons: Will have to wait for shipping & prepare the solution mix

2. There are various bottled products available at LFS, like B-ionic which is used to increase alk. The link you provided is pretty much this category.
Pros: Easy to use off the bottle & available at most LFS
Cons: Expensive

3. You can make your own Alkalinity & Calcium mixture using Baking soda & Dow Flakes. If you search around the internet on "DIY 2 Part solution" or "DIY Alkalinity & Calcium" you will find various recipes to either increase the existing value / maintenance (replenish) mixtures.

If you need anything urgent, swing by with a water sample to test for phosphates & I can give you some Alkalinity solution to get your alk up slowly (I don't have much, I have to order more, but I can give you sufficient to get started).

Thank you Shaun,

Just ordered some ALK additive off BRS and it should hopefully be here by the end of the week. I calibrated my PH probe and its putting me at 7.95 which is good except I don't have a test to cross reference it with. I truly appreciate the offer of letting me borrow some additive, will my corals be fine until the stuff gets here or is it a good idea to try and head over by you? Again thanks

 

[thinkfuture]

At the least I'd suggest do the following ASAP.
Spread baking soda (594 grams or about 2 ¼ cups) on a baking tray and heat in an ordinary oven at 300°F for one hour to drive off water and carbon dioxide. Overheating is not a problem, either with higher temperatures or longer times. Dissolve the residual solid in enough water to make 1 gallon total. This dissolution may require a fair amount of mixing. Warming it speeds dissolution. This solution will contain about 1,900 meq/L of alkalinity (5,300 dKH). I prefer to use baked baking soda rather than washing soda in this recipe as baking soda from a grocery store is always food grade, while washing soda may not have the same purity requirements. Arm & Hammer brand is a fine choice. Be sure to NOT use baking powder. Baking powder is a different material that often has phosphate as a main ingredient.

Reference from Link:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/#5

 

[DAS212]

At the least I'd suggest do the following ASAP.
Spread baking soda (594 grams or about 2 ¼ cups) on a baking tray and heat in an ordinary oven at 300°F for one hour to drive off water and carbon dioxide. Overheating is not a problem, either with higher temperatures or longer times. Dissolve the residual solid in enough water to make 1 gallon total. This dissolution may require a fair amount of mixing. Warming it speeds dissolution. This solution will contain about 1,900 meq/L of alkalinity (5,300 dKH). I prefer to use baked baking soda rather than washing soda in this recipe as baking soda from a grocery store is always food grade, while washing soda may not have the same purity requirements. Arm & Hammer brand is a fine choice. Be sure to NOT use baking powder. Baking powder is a different material that often has phosphate as a main ingredient.

Reference from Link:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/#5

thanks again Shaun, I will keep in touch. I owe you one !!

 

[bryman]

In the meantime before you get the Alk boosted, I'd do daily 10% water changes and feed corals heavily. When Alk is that low things can go south quickly with SPS. I'm just recovering myself from a low Alk episode.