PAR Rating on MH Lamps & Coral Health

Antman · 02/12/2006, 12:41 PM

Hello all, I now keep soft corals & have a MH lamp with poor PAR rating BUT I love the look of this lamp
By getting a lamp with higher PAR rating will my corals be more healthy -grow more . I keep soft corals , Leathers ,zoos,mushrooms,xenia,GSP,and other polyps .Everything is healthy & mantaning its size but nothing is realy spreading.
Any thoughts

Antman · 02/13/2006, 05:36 AM

No Thughts ?

billsreef · 02/13/2006, 09:46 AM

I get faster growth in corals under lamps with high par ratings as opposed to "bluer" looking bulbs with lower par ratings but a more pleasing look to some. One of the best coral growing MH's is the Iwasiki which has a very high par rating and a color temp of 6500k. However, that color temp looks very yellow to people that like the blue look of 20k's

acroporid23 · 02/17/2006, 01:36 PM

i go right in the middle I have a 15k 400 watt XM its perfect

Ti · 02/19/2006, 02:16 AM

Try a 14K

Serioussnaps · 03/18/2006, 06:19 PM

I think your fine with just these corals man. Go for aesthetics. If you are getting growth, then ur fine. If it was SPS, we would have a topic, but with these corals and MH any PAR you will see growth likely.

02/12/2006, 12:41 PM	#1
Antman Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Long Island Posts: 1,349	PAR Rating on MH Lamps & Coral Health Hello all, I now keep soft corals & have a MH lamp with poor PAR rating BUT I love the look of this lamp By getting a lamp with higher PAR rating will my corals be more healthy -grow more . I keep soft corals , Leathers ,zoos,mushrooms,xenia,GSP,and other polyps .Everything is healthy & mantaning its size but nothing is realy spreading. Any thoughts

02/13/2006, 09:46 AM	#3
billsreef Moderator 10 & Over Club Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Long Island, NY/North Miami Posts: 36,538	I get faster growth in corals under lamps with high par ratings as opposed to "bluer" looking bulbs with lower par ratings but a more pleasing look to some. One of the best coral growing MH's is the Iwasiki which has a very high par rating and a color temp of 6500k. However, that color temp looks very yellow to people that like the blue look of 20k's __________________ Bill "LOL, well I have no brain apparently. " - dc (Debi) Current Tank Info: Far too many tanks according to my wife, LOL.

02/19/2006, 02:16 AM	#5
Ti Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 7,927	Try a 14K __________________ Hair algae is my Macro algae.

02/13/2006, 05:36 AM	#2
Antman Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Long Island Posts: 1,349	No Thughts ?

02/17/2006, 01:36 PM	#4
acroporid23 Moved On Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: lafayette Posts: 88	i go right in the middle I have a 15k 400 watt XM its perfect

03/18/2006, 06:19 PM	#6
Serioussnaps Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,703	I think your fine with just these corals man. Go for aesthetics. If you are getting growth, then ur fine. If it was SPS, we would have a topic, but with these corals and MH any PAR you will see growth likely.