Differences between LPS and SPS

Discussion in 'Coral' started by ZC42, Jan 8, 2012.

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  1. mm2002

    mm2002 Feather Duster

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    Actually, considering the degradation of our natural reefs, many corals are probably safer, happier, and healthier in a well kept aquarium. I hate to say that but.....at least in my aquarium I'm relatively certain they won't have any sewage or crude oil spills to worry about.
     
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  3. SwimsWithFish

    SwimsWithFish Giant Squid

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    +1 most of our natural reefs are wastelands. I've seen it first hand in Australia. Very saddening.
     
  4. cosmo

    cosmo Giant Squid

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    lol not wanting to start that debate! was kinda referring more to the fish, but well put!
     
  5. RPM1

    RPM1 Fire Worm

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    Just to toss out my personal experience. I have a 4 bulb Aquatic life fixture over my small tank and I get about 200 PAR about 9 inches under water to 80 PAR on the sand. I keep SPS, monti's, a birds nest, softie's and an acan in there. In my experience these SPS's really don't like more than 200 PAR or they will start to bleach without a prolonged acclimation.

    I tested my buddy's 90 when he changed his 650 watts of MH bulbs and he can't get above 300 PAR at about 10 inches down.

    I have a DIY LED fixture over my 150 tall. I have 400 PAR about 12 inches down and 200 PAR on the sand. I keep acro's up top and SPS and monti's near the bottom.

    I recently took some LED's out of my fixture because before the revision I was getting about 750 PAR 12 inches down and I was bleaching everything.

    Just my quick and dirty rule of thumb, you need close to 400 PAR for most SPS and acro's, 100 to 200 for most LPS, and some SPS corals, and around 100 for softies.

    There is a lot of variables with all of this, bulbs, reflectors, lenses and driver settings on LED's, height of the fixture, etc. Lighting is more a can of worms than hard and fast rule.
     
  6. ZC42

    ZC42 Corkscrew Tentacle Anemone

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    How can I test par? What does it stand for?
     
  7. SwimsWithFish

    SwimsWithFish Giant Squid

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    Photosynthetically active radiation- the amount of light at different levels of the tank.
     
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  9. Mobalized

    Mobalized Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    To dumb it down and add to this it is the light that is usable for corals symbiotic algae to photosynthesize.
     
  10. chelseagrin

    chelseagrin Fire Goby

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    i was not stating anything as fact and if it came off that way i didnt mean it to, as there is very very little in this hobby that is true fact.

    in reply to 2in10, i am aware that a quality 4 bulb fixture can grow anything a mediocre 6 bulb fixture can grow. but as i said to sticksmith. i just wouldnt want to give that info to someone and then get on their bad side because they are mad that they find out they cant grow sps.

    like i said it depends on a ton of factors not just including the light, water paramaters, nutrients, and so on and so forth. i am not wanting to get into an argument with anyone.
     
  11. RPM1

    RPM1 Fire Worm

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    You need a PAR / Quantum meter or a sensor and a multimeter. You can get a LUX meter cheaper but they don't tell you the same thing.
     
  12. cosmo

    cosmo Giant Squid

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    Where could i borrow one from? I don't really see the point of buying one as i'll only use it once to adjust the lighting? A photographer perhaps?