Light question?

[hani]

I just got my Apogee light meter, what should i aim for at the substrate level? its a 45 g tank 24 in deep(top to bottom) and 24 wide, i was using 2 x24 T5 WITH dimable ballast running at 50% that was giving me 25 PAR substrate level and about 90-100 par at surface, then i went 100% and that gave me 35 at sub level and 120 at best at the surface.
turned the other light fixture 2x24 t5 and i got 50-55 at substrate and 140-150 at surface.
the tank is co2 injected, have alot of anabius and java on wood , also blexa at other area, i was running the light at 50% bc i was having black spots on the java and anubias, but the blexa did not like it much.
what should i try to aim at at the sub level?
thanks

 

[ibanezfrelon]

I would say 50micromoles at the substrate is a good range to grow any plant without having too much light

 

[pepetj]

Congrats hani! Nice little gadget isn't it?

I'm getting interesting readings with mine. I got 20 micromoles/m2/s with a single Marineland Double Bright LED in a 24" tall tank (which surprised me).

I found out I had pretty fair lighting for my low light non-CO2 tanks but I'm below the "ideal" at the moment in most of my pressurized CO2 tanks. I'm aiming as ibanezfrelon suggested in the previous post to the 50 micromoles/m2/s (retrofitting and getting new lamps).

Pepetj
Santo Domingo

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi hani,

I also have a 45 gallon tall (24" deep) and when used the GSAS PAR meter I measured 106 20 micromoles/m2/s at the substrate which is 20.25" from the light. I am using an AH Supply 1X96 watt kit with a new 8800K power compact bulb.