If You're Serious About Lighting, Know This

Abhishek

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I used PAR of 300 and 10 hour photoperiod to calculate a DLI, and arrived at 10.8, which some be fine. Make changes to photoperiod slowly and watch your corals for any negative signs. The Radiums should generate good coloration and, yes, their PUR will be different from other light sources. Just how much of a difference this makes needs to be investigated, something I could do once the new lab is completed.

Thank you so much for the reply . It will be great if you can include of halides in your experiment just for us halide guys to know more into lighting .

Regards,
Abhishek
 

saltyfilmfolks

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Hi Dana could you give me a recommendation for a spectrometer This is one thing that I have not tried or even looked at
May I ask what your looking to do with it?
Simple hobby grade ones can answer some of the common questions.
 

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PASCO Scientific has some low cost (but not inexpensive) spectrometers. These are about 1/3 the price of the Ocean Optics specs I have, but I've heard good things about them. Let me know if I can be of further assistance!
Ok Thank you I down loaded the software and asked them a question I was looking at this one you might know the Fiber optic cable sensor addition that goes with it is it water proof?

https://www.pasco.com/prodCatalog/PS/PS-2600_wireless-spectrometer/index.cfm
 

saltyfilmfolks

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Well I really have no Idea what my lights are putting out and I just guess maybe I could do better if I knew really so I was going to look for a Spectrometer
Yea, thats smart. Most adjust color based on rumor , recommendation and then meter it. Building a custom color curve with the NM peaks correctly is smart.

In film/tv now we use a few apps(understanding the color will be limited by the ccd/sensor sensitivity) but its close. Looks like pasco has one I'm going to poke.
https://www.pasco.com/downloads/spectrometry/index.cfm
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pasco.Spectrometry&hl=en

This is what we use otherwise for color. $$$$$ :eek:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/co...sv_D99QCFYYvgQod_DkBEQ&is=REG&m=Y&sku=1199079
 

Mark Gray

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Yea, thats smart. Most adjust color based on rumor , recommendation and then meter it. Building a custom color curve with the NM peaks correctly is smart.

In film/tv now we use a few apps(understanding the color will be limited by the ccd/sensor sensitivity) but its close. Looks like pasco has one I'm going to poke.
https://www.pasco.com/downloads/spectrometry/index.cfm
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pasco.Spectrometry&hl=en

This is what we use otherwise for color. $$$$$ :eek:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&O=&Q=&ap=y&c3api=1876,{creative},{keyword}&gclid=COrTsv_D99QCFYYvgQod_DkBEQ&is=REG&m=Y&sku=1199079
Well The last one is a little much I am not sure yet I hate to spend that much money, you know always thinking about larger tanks lol
 

saltyfilmfolks

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Well The last one is a little much I am not sure yet I hate to spend that much money, you know always thinking about larger tanks lol
lol. no that's not for tanks. Thats for Wonder Woman 2.
 
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Dana Riddle

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Thank you so much for the reply . It will be great if you can include of halides in your experiment just for us halide guys to know more into lighting .

Regards,. Will
Abhishek
There's a persistent rumor that the old Iwasaki 6500K DL lamps generate the best coral growth. I've got several of these in my metal halide lamp collection. Should be fairly easy to do some ETR comps once the new lab is up and running.
 
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Dana Riddle

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Mark Gray

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Let me get in touch with a fellow who uses the Pasco spec. He can give you the scoop. I'll text him now. If he's up to it, I'll hook you up.
Thank you this has been something I have never used before . I think I will have to do it after I get back I am Headed to Fiji next week for work can't wait. I think I will have at least 3 days to explore and maybe Dive, and if it's not to far I may try and go see Walt Smiths place
 
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Dana Riddle

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Jason Kevens. Should be able to reach via Messenger or Facebook.
Thank you this has been something I have never used before . I think I will have to do it after I get back I am Headed to Fiji next week for work can't wait. I think I will have at least 3 days to explore and maybe Dive, and if it's not to far I may try and go see Walt Smiths place
Safe travels!
 

Scrappy RN

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Great help on understanding the lighting terms! Thank you!

My question is how accurate are PAR meters with LED lights? I've seen articles where this was questioned and even the par meters themselves say they aren't accurate for LED's. (I apologize if you've answered this elsewhere. I haven't been able to find it--if you have a link I'll follow! :) )

My local reef club measured the PAR levels in my tank under my LED light (I got it when I knew nothing and was just putting my setup on layaway.) The PAR levels measured 100 at the top and around 50 at the bottom of my 75 gal tank--which seems very low.

I have multiple softies doing very well, plus a favia, a few montipora caps and a monti digitata that appear to be doing fine. The monti's and favia have only been in the tank a month and don't seem to have grown much but they haven't died and I can see the digitata's polyps come out to eat and the tentacles come out on the favia when I feed the tank. They all have decent color too.

I can't afford the top of the line Kessils/Radions etc. The club guys recommended I add another of the lights I already have--which I'm willing to do. But I'm still wondering if the reading was accurate to begin with if everything is doing ok so far. The only things that I still want to add are a clam, an anemone of some sort like a leather anem. or an RBTA and some more palys. I don't think I want any other SPS right now--maybe eventually.

So I don't want to waste $200 on another light if it isn't necessary. If the PAR reading is right, I obviously need a little more though. Thoughts?
 
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Dana Riddle

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Scrappy RN

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Which PAR meter are you using? Some will need a correction factor applied due to the immersion effect. As far as spectrum goes, see here:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2013/2/equipment
Here's another link to the newest version of the Apogee meter:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2016/12/aafeature
If your numbers are correct in your tank, they do seem a tad low. Many corals can exist in such low light levels but it doesn't give much of a margin for error.
Not sure on the meter. It's one the East TN Reef club owns.
Yeah, probably better safe than sorry and need to get a 2nd light. The one I have is definitely deceptively bright though, lol, and the blues are beautiful! Since they are dimmable it won't hurt to have a 2nd.
 

Jayy

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I have a 50 gal and a 90 gal tank, with assortments of softies, lps, and a few sps in addition to a few fish in each. The larger tank has AI LEDs and the smaller uses double tube compact florescents. I'd like to be able to do PAR and/or PUR testing but I'm not sure which of the available meters would be the most satisfactory for my low level hobbyist use. I don't mind spending in the $300 range, if that's what's necessary. Price is not my primary concern but if I can get a suitable meter for less, why not go for it? Can anyone recommend a meter or meters that would be suitable. I'm not planning to do scientific studies, just check the adequacy of my lighting from time to time and make appropriate adjustments and/or replace the tubes.
 

saltyfilmfolks

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I have a 50 gal and a 90 gal tank, with assortments of softies, lps, and a few sps in addition to a few fish in each. The larger tank has AI LEDs and the smaller uses double tube compact florescents. I'd like to be able to do PAR and/or PUR testing but I'm not sure which of the available meters would be the most satisfactory for my low level hobbyist use. I don't mind spending in the $300 range, if that's what's necessary. Price is not my primary concern but if I can get a suitable meter for less, why not go for it? Can anyone recommend a meter or meters that would be suitable. I'm not planning to do scientific studies, just check the adequacy of my lighting from time to time and make appropriate adjustments and/or replace the tubes.
Seney reef.
 
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Dana Riddle

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I have a 50 gal and a 90 gal tank, with assortments of softies, lps, and a few sps in addition to a few fish in each. The larger tank has AI LEDs and the smaller uses double tube compact florescents. I'd like to be able to do PAR and/or PUR testing but I'm not sure which of the available meters would be the most satisfactory for my low level hobbyist use. I don't mind spending in the $300 range, if that's what's necessary. Price is not my primary concern but if I can get a suitable meter for less, why not go for it? Can anyone recommend a meter or meters that would be suitable. I'm not planning to do scientific studies, just check the adequacy of my lighting from time to time and make appropriate adjustments and/or replace the tubes.
@saltyfilmfolks nailed it. The Seneye meter (reef version) will probably meet your needs. Tim Wijgerde (coral researcher in Europe) likes this PAR sensor's response. It will also report lux, Kelvin (up to 20000K which rules out most blue lamps used in the hobby), and PUR. I have a lot of technical questions about how PUR is calculated and need to get in touch with Matt at Seneye. It's impossible to calculate PUR for all aquatic organisms with a single algorithm but it's an interesting aside.
 

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