[IWANNAGOFAST]

I got my hands on our club par meter and I was able to test the PAR on my riparium again and I was SUPER surprised at the levels.

My plants were growing and growing nicely in 4-8 umols of PAR.
(the areas where it's closer to the light but lower in PAR are shaded by the riparium plants). Granted, the plants are just crypts, mosses and some anubias, but still, I'd figure I'd need a lot more light than that.


btw this tank is no co2, no ferts, just aquasoil and shrimp poo

 

[redfishsc]

Very nice!

One of the nicest planted tanks I've ever seen was a 40g "tall" tank that had only a single 36" T12 tube over it that was probably 4 years old, but the tank was absolutely LOADED from wall to wall, bottom to top, with Java ferns.

I'd never seen them so big and lush, it was quite a shock to me, especially when I noticed the light source.


I suspect that their PAR levels were about the same as what you have. I can't see a single T12 over a 24" deep tank giving much more than around 10-15 micromols on the substrate, even if brand new. Much less, an ancient bulb in one of those horrendous strip lights that had nearly no reflectors.

 

[xmas_one]

:hihi:Nice rip, please stomp on that par meter before you return it...

 

[IWANNAGOFAST]

yeah it was a trip seeing how low the par levels were!

We have a tank at our shop, the plants are growing out of control, crypts, mosses, blyxa japonica, some rotala nanjenshens, all growing like mad with a light that puts out about 20umols of PAR at about 10 inches away from the light.

and i'm sorry if i misunderstood you but why would i want to stomp on the par meter?

 

[HolyAngel]

maybe he thinks its broken or not calibrated or something..

 

[Steve001]

This should be a Sticky

 

[BBradbury]

Plants in Low Light

Good morning IWANNA...

I have quite a number of plants growing in low light. Not privy to the PAR info., but I have single, T8, 32 watt bulbs in my 55 Gs and that's plenty of light for my plants, see attached pics.

B

 

[Rockhoe14er]

really great post. I'm also working on very low par on my fluval edge and i am really curious how low of light i can get away with in the corners and still be able to grow plants. As of right now I am getting lots of anubis nana and am going to see what happens.

 

[Rockhoe14er]

Good morning IWANNA...

I have quite a number of plants growing in low light. Not privy to the PAR info., but I have single, T8, 32 watt bulbs in my 55 Gs and that's plenty of light for my plants, see attached pics.

B

I realize a picture is a bad choice when comparing par but there is a big difference between low light (around 20-30 par) and really low light around the 3-4 par range. You picture looks more like in the low light range not the really low light.

 

[Dave-H]

Every time someone breaks out the PAR meter for the first time, they have some kind of surprising results

 

[chiefroastbeef]

Very informative, and cool tank! What are the plants that are growing out of the water?

 

[IWANNAGOFAST]

Those are some riparium plants that I got from hydrophyte, taro's and acorus mostly.