Par questions

Are you using a PAR meter? It's a highly subjective topic, the short of it is that they should be saturated with whatever amount of PAR they are "acclimatized" to....Which doesn't explain a whole lot, but suffice it to say that you should increase the PAR incrimentally so you don't burn em up.

If you want some rules of thumb, some general guidelines for types of corals I might have a few cents to throw in on that, but note that the standard deviation within families of corals varies enormously, and so will their colors based on how much light they're getting. Case in point: red planet, totally washed out, light light pink/red with 460PAR, @ 280-300 good red and green saturation with a nice mix, gorgeous. Not to mention that the observed color based on light saturation is assuming all other parts equal (which they rarely ever are).

But off the cuff, I'd have to wing it and say something like: acros 300-500, montis 200-400, zoas 100-300, mushrooms 100-400, xenia/colts/other sarcophytons/octocorals: 200-450, chalices 200-300, aptasia pitch blackness in acid water for weeks, they're still good. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/tongue.gif

 

Ive been searching for the source to get the exact #'s and link it but I can find it so I will go from memory.


SPS + Clams =200-700 some as high as 1000

LPS + lower light sps=100-200

Zoas/softies = 50-100


Clams = 200-700


I get about 100-150 on the sandbed with 2 AI's over a 40B.

 

I found the chart on the Nano-reef forum. The person who posted it said the chart came with their LED lights. Skyye brand.


http://i41.tinypic.com/17tx89.jpg

 

Holly brightness batman. Two AI over a 40 breeder? I bet that looks great

 

haha, its not bad at all.

 

I think skurious gave a good general guide:
SPS + Clams =200-700
LPS + lower light sps=100-200
Zoas/softies = 50-100
I would say it's even a bit lower than that. IMO after so many years of never having enough light we (as a general hobby) are going a bit overboard. The thought of bleaching SPS in the early 2000's due to light was pretty crazy, now it's one of the largest problems you see in lighting forums! When I was looking up information about keeping crocea clams there are lots of people that keep them around 200 PAR long term if you search the big forums and they are crazy high light animals. Now some SPS do show better colors with more PAR but that is pretty specific to the species and even individual.

M. undata max light is 200 PAR and the most efficient is 110. Granted it's not a light intesive SPS, but it gives an idea of range as it can survive well below 110.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/3/aafeature2

It seems to me that recently flow rate and flow type are becoming more and more important with our powerful lighting. I think most people with DIY LED run them around 50% and that is even after gradual adjustment to not bleach. I am glad to see industry adding more spectrum and stepping away from the power game for LED's.