Quote:
Originally Posted by Wally.B
LIGHTING (To Target PARS (Slow/Careful) RAMP UP) How quickly? What Increments?
Ed, I have one important last question.
I can easily Achieve 300-350 PARS at Mid Level as you suggest.
I did these measurements with a Quatum Meter Not too long ago.
[IMG]LIGHTING (To Target PARS RAMP UP) How quickly? What Increments?[/IMG]
Please note my Bulbs are 250W MH [Pheonix 14K] (, but my Ballast is switchable so I can go 150W, 175W, 250W and HQI)
The T5's are 1x [ATI Coral Plus] and 1x [ATI Blue Plus], both with Reflectors.
So based on those measurements I'm NOW around 200 PARS with (with MH@175W and both T5's ON)
HOW SHOULD I MOVE Towards getting to 300-350 PARS?
I have two ways to get there, and that is my planned approach.
Step 1) Slowly Lower MH Light Fixture
Step 2) Then Switch Ballast to Next Power Level and Raise Light Fixture
------> This is to keep PARS same as I enter new Power Level
Step 3) Then continue from Step 1.
So the question is how MANY PARS can I increase (Safely) for each Increment?
And at what rate? (Increase every Week, Every Month,....)
I didn't measure below 12" but I can easily rent the Quantum Meter again.
I mention this since I may not want to use HQI Setting to get to 290PARS at 12" Fixture Height. (Since HQI decreases bulb life)
I will be better off staying at 250W and lower below 12" which I need to measure again.
Going below 12" reduces the Spread and since I have Narrow MH Reflectors, spread gets a bit spotty.
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A healthy coral isn't going to bleach at 300-350. I would just run the 250w setting to start at your 12" level. Running a 250w bulb at 150 or 175w doesn't make sense to me for quality lighting or spectrum.
You want to set it and forget it......that's the beauty of MH & T5.
I'm not familiar with your ballast, but from what I know of people with those type of ballasts they end up running the HQi setting.
For color later on you may decide you want to try a Radium bulb as well............ it's also designed for an HQI ballast. For now though, what you have should color and grow coral fine.
Read this link, it will help you better understand what I'm talking about.
Scroll down to 250w.
https://premiumaquatics.com/articles/radium
You can run the LED strip the last hour, but I wouldn't run that strip for any more than that for now. Without a dimmer and the fact it only puts out a single spectrum of approx. 450nm it can cause damage. Again, over time once things are going well you can experiment with adding it back slowly.
From your picture, you're barely hitting 250par at the 250w setting at 12". This should be okay till you come back from vacation. Once you're back you can try lowering the light a few more inches and the HQI setting down the road.
If you're using a Apogee for any par measurements make sure you have it set to "electric" mode. Measure this without the LEDs on.
I doubt your issues were ever bleaching corals but the opposite of not having enough light.