- Location
- Bellmore, NY
I haven't come across any of this data without scouring deep in the thousand page RC thread. I figured I'd share the par measurements I collected today for my D120's. My tank is a 65g (36x18x24). The fixtures are 8x16" and I have two across the top.
The fixtures are only about 4-5" over the water line. I'll measure later to get a more precise number. I set the sensor on the sandbed, it was sitting at around 18" The sensor was 6" away from the fixture edge. So the par at the sandbed starts at 15 with one channel, 30 with both at the lowest dim (5%). I then increased the dim by 5% increments and measured the par. With both channels at 100% the par was at 188 at the sandbed the furthest point from the fixture.
I then moved the fixture forward as far as I could so the sensor was now at 3.5" from the edge of the fixture. These fixtures are 8" wide (by 16") so the last test we're talking about 10" from center and with this second test we're around 7-8" from center. The par here ranged from 29-388 at the sandbed.
After I established the range of par at different dim percentages, I measured a few different points in my tank. My rock-work goes back and up like most do, so I moved the fixture back and measured where I normally have it. At the waterline, with both channels at 100%, I was hitting 1400-1500 par. I measured the different spots, water line, top, middle, bottom at a few different dim settings. That's the last chart with the bars.
Overall, I'd say these lights are pretty powerful. So far, the only coral I bleached though was my huge Acropora macrophthalmia colony which was sitting at about 6-800 par all day. It's no wonder. I'm sure if I had my lights setup a bit higher, I'd have a better result, but due to my canopy, this is where it's at. I hope this info is useful for some people, now I have the fun of figuring out what I want my par to be
The fixtures are only about 4-5" over the water line. I'll measure later to get a more precise number. I set the sensor on the sandbed, it was sitting at around 18" The sensor was 6" away from the fixture edge. So the par at the sandbed starts at 15 with one channel, 30 with both at the lowest dim (5%). I then increased the dim by 5% increments and measured the par. With both channels at 100% the par was at 188 at the sandbed the furthest point from the fixture.
I then moved the fixture forward as far as I could so the sensor was now at 3.5" from the edge of the fixture. These fixtures are 8" wide (by 16") so the last test we're talking about 10" from center and with this second test we're around 7-8" from center. The par here ranged from 29-388 at the sandbed.
After I established the range of par at different dim percentages, I measured a few different points in my tank. My rock-work goes back and up like most do, so I moved the fixture back and measured where I normally have it. At the waterline, with both channels at 100%, I was hitting 1400-1500 par. I measured the different spots, water line, top, middle, bottom at a few different dim settings. That's the last chart with the bars.
Overall, I'd say these lights are pretty powerful. So far, the only coral I bleached though was my huge Acropora macrophthalmia colony which was sitting at about 6-800 par all day. It's no wonder. I'm sure if I had my lights setup a bit higher, I'd have a better result, but due to my canopy, this is where it's at. I hope this info is useful for some people, now I have the fun of figuring out what I want my par to be
