45g 24" tall No CO2 EI daily excel
light tested 96w 6700k 4" above water
water level meter read 140
middle half way down read 40
Left side half way down read 33
Right side half way down read 33
Gravel middle 24
Gravel left side 15
Gravel right side 15
36" T5 10000k 42w (flat on tank Inch from water)
water level meter read 114
middle half way down read 59
Left side half way down read 58
Right side half way down read 58
Gravel middle 30
Gravel left side 30
Gravel right side 28
If reading should be for planted tanks: Low - 50 , Medium - 75-150 , High - above 150
What do I aim for most of my plants are: stem fast growers, 3 types moss, 2 types of Fissiden several, large anubias and an african water fern.
For now I have pennywort floating on 1/4 of top with UG floating in it. I have no idea what I am to do with these readings or which light I should use. The first light is 4mo old and the second has new bulbs.
Since this set up is only about a month old I have Slight GSA and GDA will add oto's soon. When I use the watts per gallon measurement the first light is to many watts and the second light is too low. When I put both readings to these requirements for low light I get very lost. It seems that there is a large variance in the readings which I understand is different with the light spread and the penitration levels of the light. I want this to be manly be a moss, fissiden and few stems tank. What would you do in my case?
Here is a post Vaughn did on the PAR but it still leaves me confused. because of the above readings
"Unfortunately, we are just beginning to accumulate the data needed to answer that question well. Tom has posted that the approximate ranges for low, medium and high light for many plants are: Low - 50 , Medium - 75-150 , High - above 150. The effect of the light level depends a lot on whether you have good CO2 or not. With good CO2 low light intensity still gives good growth for most plants, but without CO2, many of those plants may not grow at all. I think what we are doing with the PAR meter can be considered to be just gathering information for now. But, comparing your readings to those above will give you some idea about how intense your lighting is, and whether you might want to lower it or increase it.
Also, don't forget that the intensity near the top of the tank will be a lot higher than at the bottom of the tank. If you are trying to grow HC, for example, it is the intensity at the substrate that is of most interest, but for taller plants, it is the intensity in the middle area of the tank. Once you get two readings over the same spot on the substrate, and measure the distance from the light for each reading, you can predict pretty accurately what the intensity is at other distances from the light.
You can also see how uniform your light intensity is from side to side, and from front to back. Ideally, the intensities will all be about the same, where ever you are in the tank. But, you can be sure they won't be.
If you decide to try for more or for less intensity, having two readings over the same spot on the substrate, at known distances from the light, allows you to accuratedly determine how much higher or lower to locate the light for the intensity you want."
light tested 96w 6700k 4" above water
water level meter read 140
middle half way down read 40
Left side half way down read 33
Right side half way down read 33
Gravel middle 24
Gravel left side 15
Gravel right side 15
36" T5 10000k 42w (flat on tank Inch from water)
water level meter read 114
middle half way down read 59
Left side half way down read 58
Right side half way down read 58
Gravel middle 30
Gravel left side 30
Gravel right side 28
If reading should be for planted tanks: Low - 50 , Medium - 75-150 , High - above 150
What do I aim for most of my plants are: stem fast growers, 3 types moss, 2 types of Fissiden several, large anubias and an african water fern.
For now I have pennywort floating on 1/4 of top with UG floating in it. I have no idea what I am to do with these readings or which light I should use. The first light is 4mo old and the second has new bulbs.
Since this set up is only about a month old I have Slight GSA and GDA will add oto's soon. When I use the watts per gallon measurement the first light is to many watts and the second light is too low. When I put both readings to these requirements for low light I get very lost. It seems that there is a large variance in the readings which I understand is different with the light spread and the penitration levels of the light. I want this to be manly be a moss, fissiden and few stems tank. What would you do in my case?
Here is a post Vaughn did on the PAR but it still leaves me confused. because of the above readings
"Unfortunately, we are just beginning to accumulate the data needed to answer that question well. Tom has posted that the approximate ranges for low, medium and high light for many plants are: Low - 50 , Medium - 75-150 , High - above 150. The effect of the light level depends a lot on whether you have good CO2 or not. With good CO2 low light intensity still gives good growth for most plants, but without CO2, many of those plants may not grow at all. I think what we are doing with the PAR meter can be considered to be just gathering information for now. But, comparing your readings to those above will give you some idea about how intense your lighting is, and whether you might want to lower it or increase it.
Also, don't forget that the intensity near the top of the tank will be a lot higher than at the bottom of the tank. If you are trying to grow HC, for example, it is the intensity at the substrate that is of most interest, but for taller plants, it is the intensity in the middle area of the tank. Once you get two readings over the same spot on the substrate, and measure the distance from the light for each reading, you can predict pretty accurately what the intensity is at other distances from the light.
You can also see how uniform your light intensity is from side to side, and from front to back. Ideally, the intensities will all be about the same, where ever you are in the tank. But, you can be sure they won't be.
If you decide to try for more or for less intensity, having two readings over the same spot on the substrate, at known distances from the light, allows you to accuratedly determine how much higher or lower to locate the light for the intensity you want."