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Brazil
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I´m sure this discussion comes and goes with time, but I thing it could be reactivated...

How much PAR is it ideal to keep most SPS under healthy conditions? How much is too much? Aren´t we blasting our corals in exchange for colors?

Vincent Chalias long ago has presented on ReefStock and MACNA about the huge change from corals in their natural habitat and our tanks.
Speaking of SPS, specially acros, most of this effect could be a consequence of the each-day-more-intense lights we are using on our SPS tanks.

There are plenty SPS keepers fond their tanks with 600, 800, sometimes even more PAR over SPS.
Many times for "high end" pieces it is discussed that to get this or that specific color you have to use extremely high PAR...

On the other hand, may scientific articles describe this extreme coloration as a response to stress and self-protection. When it is too much or too fast it simply leads to bleaching.

Extremely colorful corals under high PAR have very few zooxantellae are more sensible to stressors such as high temperature. This has been repeatedly stated by scientific articles. There are even articles showing that some scleratinian corals can even have accelerated growth under stressful conditions as a form of defense, what makes this discussion sometimes harder.

But we seem to keep pushing the light exposure to de edge of their tolerance, wich sometimes is quite high.
Recently, Dana Riddle was interviewed by a fellow Brazilian youtuber and stated that around 300 PAR is a safe number to keep those corals and around 400 would be the extreme of healthy conditions.

I would like to leave Clams out of this discussion...

So in the end what seems to be indicative of health on SPS:
- color intensity and diversity? (to me it does not seem so)
- good growth? (according to science, in some cases that could also be misleading)

I would like to hear your thoughts, specially taking in consideration what science has to add to this topic.
 

ducati335i

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I haven’t messed around w acros enough w high par to know.. if I put them too high of par it will affect all other coral in the tank..
I have to see where I’m at again, but I do believe my highest points get 700 or so if I’m not mistaken...
This is very interesting, although nutrients might be more important. Then again acro experts might know better and have other tricks..
Experimenting w the same pieces higher and lower always helps.. For example, have certain zoas that only color up under extremely high par and look/morph under lower part.
I also read an article that high par might give acros certain bright color as their own defense mechanism..
 
Location
Brazil
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I haven’t messed around w acros enough w high par to know.. if I put them too high of par it will affect all other coral in the tank..
I have to see where I’m at again, but I do believe my highest points get 700 or so if I’m not mistaken...
This is very interesting, although nutrients might be more important. Then again acro experts might know better and have other tricks..
Experimenting w the same pieces higher and lower always helps.. For example, have certain zoas that only color up under extremely high par and look/morph under lower part.
I also read an article that high par might give acros certain bright color as their own defense mechanism..

Exactly... I agree they color up in extreme par... but my point is: are we sure they are healthier? Or maybe what we are assuming as a health parameter could be mistaken?
Because scientific evidence is pointing in other directions...
 

coralcruze

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Location
Westchester NY
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I use ap700 over my tank and par out of these light are consistant... I think BRS did a video on it showing par at around 3-500 dependimg on depth. also I think kessil logic helps qith the RBG color channels so you dont overdo it. I admit I never put a par meter under my tank. but would be interested to hear what th real experts on the site have to say.
 

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