ATI Sunpower Par Readings

[Clownfish518]

Today I took some PAR readings of the tank I am setting up. It is a 90 gallon, 48x18x24. It has a 5" sandbed

My fixture is a ATI Sunpower, 4x54 watt. I am running 2 UVL Aquasuns, 1 UVL 75/25, and a ATI Blue Plus (its a lagoon tank, not much blue light in lagoons, none really)

Here are the PAR readings of the fixture

I am getting 308 PAR at the top of the sand bed, 19" deep. I know its commonly believed that T5s can't really reach 20", but with good bulbs, good reflectors, and a good fixture with active cooling, I believe you can do 30" with ease. Here I am at 19" getting 308 with a 4 bulb fixture. I would get more with a 6 bulb fixture, and I am pretty sure if I were to remove the sand that I would have at least 200 PAR at 24" with my 4 bulb setup. That's plenty for the base of the tank.

So this is empirical data that T5s are just as bright as MH, and penetrate just as well. With a system 30" and under, the choice between MH and T5 comes down to other factors - they both perform great

:soap:

ATI T5 fixtures just rock

 

[Miltonic]

What are you using to measure the PAR? I would like to know what PAR im getting with my 8 bulb ATI Powermodule on my 90g and yes ATI fixtures rock!!!

 

[Clownfish518]

What are you using to measure the PAR? I would like to know what PAR im getting with my 8 bulb ATI Powermodule on my 90g and yes ATI fixtures rock!!!

An Apogee Quantum Meter like this one

Aquarium Specialty

But I am using the older model

 

[Miltonic]

Thanks and I guess im going to have to find someone who has one to measure my PAR since buying one is not an option.

 

[cbrownfish]

I am getting 308 PAR at the top of the sand bed, 19" deep. I know its commonly believed that T5s can't really reach 20", but with good bulbs, good reflectors, and a good fixture with active cooling, I believe you can do 30" with ease. Here I am at 19" getting 308 with a 4 bulb fixture. I would get more with a 6 bulb fixture, and I am pretty sure if I were to remove the sand that I would have at least 200 PAR at 24" with my 4 bulb setup. That's plenty for the base of the tank.

So this is empirical data that T5s are just as bright as MH, and penetrate just as well. With a system 30" and under, the choice between MH and T5 comes down to other factors - they both perform great

:soap:

ATI T5 fixtures just rock

ATI rates their fixtures/T5's for 30" depth with "careful placement of corals". T5's will reach 20" but they typically lose significant intensity beyond 20-22". The subject of T5's versus halides can be debated, and has, to the end of time. DE halides are going to give you the best depth penetration in a deeper tank - hands down. T5's are going to give you better spread/coverage in a shallow to moderate depth tank - hands down.

Both are good light sources and both have advantages/disadvantages.

 

[astiesi]

Great post, thanks for sharing. I've actually been researching 36" fixtures and was curious how well a 4 bulb ATI fixture would perform against some of the non-ATI 6 bulb fixtures. ATI claims their 4 bulb fixtures perform as well or better than most 6 bulb fixtures but I have yet to see any PAR values until now. Again, thanks for posting!

 

[Clownfish518]

ATI rates their fixtures/T5's for 30" depth with "careful placement of corals". T5's will reach 20" but they typically lose significant intensity beyond 20-22". The subject of T5's versus halides can be debated, and has, to the end of time. DE halides are going to give you the best depth penetration in a deeper tank - hands down. T5's are going to give you better spread/coverage in a shallow to moderate depth tank - hands down.

Both are good light sources and both have advantages/disadvantages.

You could say the same thing, about careful placement of corals, for MH in 30" tanks unless you are talking 400w. The readings I get for 150w DE Phoenix 14k with magnetic ballast at 20", which is all I can measure at home, is 257 at the bottom, slightly lower than this.

I would get better readings with a T5 6 or 7 bulb unit, and better yet with T5 VHO. A good friend has a Solar Flare on his 120 and it really performs.

You can argue the setups; most tanks top out at 24", very few are deeper. In that range, T5 should not be dismissed is all I am saying

I actually have kept more than a few anemones and all my nem tanks have MH. The right tool for the right job

 

[cbrownfish]

Your points are well taken but many standard tanks above 200 gallons are 30" deep, many bow front tanks are 28"+ deep and large cube tanks are often >24" deep. I am not sure that 216W of T5 = 150W of 14K halide makes an accurate comparison. Water clarity is also a significant factor. I personally would never run less than 250W halides on a 24" deep tank. P14K's versus Iwasaki or Giesemann are going to make a difference as well. I run P14K 250W DE's and love them, though there are a few bulbs with a higher PAR ratings.

 

[cbrownfish]

BTW, I would not hesitate to run T5's on a set up but I do prefer halides and the "natural" look (shimmer, light rays, etc).

 

[Clownfish518]

Your points are well taken but many standard tanks above 200 gallons are 30" deep, many bow front tanks are 28"+ deep and large cube tanks are often >24" deep. I am not sure that 216W of T5 = 150W of 14K halide makes an accurate comparison. Water clarity is also a significant factor. I personally would never run less than 250W halides on a 24" deep tank. P14K's versus Iwasaki or Giesemann are going to make a difference as well. I run P14K 250W DE's and love them, though there are a few bulbs with a higher PAR ratings.

Two different tanks, two different purposes. the MH is over a 20" deep tank with an anemone, the T5s are over a 24" deep tank with a DSB that is a lagoon system and the lighting is not intended to be maxed for PAR. If it was, I would have a different lighting strategy - probably a Constellation or 6 bulb ATI, maybe a Solar Flare

I wasn't trying to get into specifics of Iwasaki vs Phoenix vs Geisemann, just testing what I can test, which is Phoenix. I wasn't comparing the two per se, but that's all I can measure here, so offering the contrast

I work in a fish store, and I can't tell you anyone who has a 200+ gallon tank.