Explaining Aquarium Lighting for Growing Plants (PAR Explained)

Рет қаралды 37,585

Жыл бұрын

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‎ When it comes to planted aquarium lights, many people want to know the PAR rating. PAR stands for "photosynthetic active radiation" and basically measures how bright a plant light is. However, many things can effect the PAR rating of a light - such as the distance from the light, height of the tank, use of an aquarium lid or not, and placement of the plants.
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At Aquarium Co-Op, we focus on your aquariums. We specialize in freshwater tropical fish, aquatic plants, and the overall betterment of the freshwater fish keeping hobby. Our goal is to help you with your first pet fish and graduate you to an advanced aquarium hobbyist. If you'd like to take it to the next level, subscribe to Aquarium Co-Op and check out our weekly videos.
Cory McElroy is employed by Aquarium Co-Op LLC. He also owns Aquarium Co-Op LLC. Therefore, all content is sponsored by Aquarium Co-Op.
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Пікірлер: 128

@AquariumCoop Жыл бұрын

*The Easy Plant LED is here! We made our dream light that has all the must-have features (dimmable, VERY water-resistant, makes plants look amazing) while still being affordable and long-lasting. Get yours today: **www.aquariumcoop.com/products/aquarium-co-op-easy-plant-led*

@thebeigesheep6132 Жыл бұрын

Cory, what size tank are you testing the easy light on in this video? Also what size of light is it? Wondering if this PAR would translate into other sizes so I can make an informed buying decision. Thanks

@clayd9477 Жыл бұрын

With great PAR comes great responsibility

@reneowens2768 Жыл бұрын

😂

@jjxtwo1 Жыл бұрын

Haha 😂.

@TripleJAquatics Жыл бұрын

Ha!

@djguppyfish Жыл бұрын

Voltaire was a fishkeeper

@brute93 Жыл бұрын

Cory, you're the man when it comes to teaching and explaining

@edub1170 Жыл бұрын

That why I will always support the Coop. Cory is genuinely trying to educate people

@emilybilbrey3813 Жыл бұрын

Please keep the nerd videos coming! I am less than a year into the hobby and ACO has been a massive wealth of information. I truly appreciate the helpful guidance! Thanks so much to Cory and the whole co op crew!

@travismorgan9273 Жыл бұрын

After always wondering every time I had an algae problem or my plants wouldn’t grow if I had too much light or not enough, I bought a PAR meter. Really helps with troubleshooting an aquarium. One of my best aquarium purchases.

@Rob_8529 Жыл бұрын

Nice thing to have for sure, I rented a PAR meter from the same website I bought my Reef tank Lights from, used if to set my lights and sent it back, what sucks is if I ever move or adjust intensity, I won’t know the Par anymore.

@jjdelrey287 5 ай бұрын

I love this channel. Taught me so much and straight to the point. Appreciate the products and the videos!! The only plants that really thrive are plants from COOP.

@spenceroverbeck3896 Жыл бұрын

PAR is an amazing tool when setting up your lighting. Being a mostly salt water keeper, this is a measurement that we use extensively for coral and macro algae. I've been waiting for a freshwater dive into PAR. Great video as always!!

@sdqsdq6274 Жыл бұрын

hmmm back in the day, planted tank people knows about par measurement , most just dont buy the meter, too costly , lol

@alpinecone Жыл бұрын

Great video. I always learn so much when I watch Aquarium Co-Op videos. This one is things I never knew I wanted to know but when I watched it I realized I really did. Thanks Cory!

@brad7890 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for taking the time to fully explain and break things down as ya do so well👍

@Kyle_Mo Жыл бұрын

Thanks @Aquarium Coop! Great video with a TON of useful information!

@TheRocketpony22 Жыл бұрын

Such a great video! Love the experiments.

@kurtbrutting5118 Жыл бұрын

Awesome video, awesome information! I can listen to Cory all day playing with his aquariums!

@scapeghost4212 Жыл бұрын

This is a must watch for planted tank keepers

@fishdodobo Жыл бұрын

Thank you. The videos really inspire us and can learn a lot from you.

@audrameyer9558 Жыл бұрын

Thank you, Cory. This was VERY informative. I have lots to think about now about in regards to my light placement.

@dinoguy6738 Жыл бұрын

I wish all company's would make a video like this for their lights.

@coreywest1183 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for this explanation of light levels.

@johnjwedrall4290 Жыл бұрын

Very enlightening video, thanks 👍 ❗️

@haildiaboli709 Жыл бұрын

Best in depth vid on lighting. before I got my plants in my aquarium I was asking all over local petstores, the distance, from the plants how the water effects the light how, screen cages /tops break up light, and they all looked at me like what 😂, cause I came from the reptile hobby and light is the most important things, that being said I was too critical and was thinking about it too much, This video clarified a few things for me and making it easier to understand.

@jwlee1059 Жыл бұрын

Good video. I learned about PAR with my corals. Now with the plants. It will be nice to see how my two Radions do. Nice explanation.

@horizonfishkeeping Жыл бұрын

Cory and his awesome channel 4 years ago is literally why I keep fish most educational and entertainment on KZfaq

@Rick-xy4bt Жыл бұрын

Great video for learning more. As most lights talk about lumens output in their specs and rarely about their par, it would be great to have that relationship explained.

@billy1503 Жыл бұрын

If a light advertises lumens over par/ppfd it’s not worth your time Btw difference is this Lumens or Lux is a measurement of the intensity of the light as seen by a human eye Par is the measurement of the intensity of light being absorbed by a plant

@pedrocastel8177 Жыл бұрын

Thx a lot for this experiment!

@yorkaquariums1840 Жыл бұрын

I probably shouldn’t be, but I’m really surprised how much the glass top changed the PAR level! Great video Cory. Very informative.

@robertjohnston25 Жыл бұрын

Cool video, def like these kind of videos. It’s different and far more interesting than a “top 10 this or that”

@yates656 Жыл бұрын

I went with the Beamswork when I put together my 20g high planted about a month ago. I didn't know about the Easy Plant LED at the time, but I am strongly considering the upgrade after watching many reviews on it. I'm enjoying the Co-Op heater with the digital temp readout. This is my first tank in years, used to run a GLO T5 HO fixture on my tank back in the day.

@wanderingturtleadventures8619 Жыл бұрын

Proving a table for PAR measurements at different depths for each “click” on your light would be incredibly helpful.

@petergill8553 Жыл бұрын

I learned so much!

@RescueDogTreats Жыл бұрын

Great video, per usual!

@Rob_8529 Жыл бұрын

The Par Results from The Aquarium Co-Op light is Very Impressive! I’m rather familiar with PAR from my ReefTank, where I’m using $800 lights to get 400-600 PAR from a light mounted 16” off the water, I’ll absolutely be using this light on my Planted tank.

@aliew27 Жыл бұрын

Just an amazing video. You are the best

@CullenKawano Жыл бұрын

Hey Cory! Nerds Rule =) thank you for this it super helps break things down. I have been keeping fish for maybe 20 years and this is still an awesome refresher and education =) Thanks again and stay awesome!!! cant wait for the next nerdy info drop.

@jhering157 Жыл бұрын

Love this!

@J.Olivers_Guppies-Aquatics Жыл бұрын

Great information 👍

@LILMCG Жыл бұрын

0:17 seconds in and i've been called a nerd.... I love it.

@jamesclough2638 Жыл бұрын

Great information

@Timsfreshwatertanks Жыл бұрын

Received 2 - 12" strips yesterday, very nice lights.

@Zingo89 Жыл бұрын

Fun and interesting vid! Great stuff

@James_Hande Жыл бұрын

It's nice to see lighting explained with PAR using a meter. But most average hobbyist won't have a PAR meter available and there are lots of lights that don't advertise PAR, to many variables as you shown such as tank depth, front, back and sides of the tank. Most affordable lights only advertise Kelvin and Lumens. I hope you continue with explaining lighting in more detail. 👍

@izzantutor Жыл бұрын

Sangat cantik sekali aquarium nya👍👍

@SimonCharbonnet Жыл бұрын

Thanks Cory for this clear demonstration... if only we could judge PAR levels with our eyes!

@billy1503 Жыл бұрын

There’s an app called photone that allows you to get fairly accurate readings.

@jwcarlson Жыл бұрын

@@billy1503 how do you use it under water?

@billy1503 Жыл бұрын

@@jwcarlson measure how far your light is above the substrate. Set your phone down, hold light (and aquarium top if using one) above your phone at the same distance. It’s easiest to test before filling the aquarium, but everything has a work around!

@jwcarlson Жыл бұрын

@@billy1503 but water and light certainly effect light levels differently?

@billy1503 Жыл бұрын

You’d be right there. Every aquariums water has different tds (total dissolved solids) meaning the water will absorb and reflect light differently. Also each light has a slightly different spectrum. Both of these thigns means a test done in my aquarium wouldn’t apply to yours. Side note: Red and orange are disturbed by water far more than yellow-purple, so the more red diodes your light has, the more light is lost. Most studies on how light intensity is affected by water are done using sunlight which includes all spectrums, meaning it’s not exactly applicable to a grow light. That said, I’ve always dialed my tanks in to where my substrate gets hit with a par of 50-70, depending on weather or not I’m using floating plants. To reach 50-70 I usually have to set the lights to around 75% power. I’ve Never had algae problems (other than one time I overdosed liquid fertilizer) and my plants grow at a consistent rate across all 3 tanks, so im assuming I’ve dialed it in to be fairly accurate. You can get it at least close, then if you have algae problems turn it down a bit, if you aren’t seeing the growth you want, turn it up a bit. Buying a par meter would only be necessary if you want to know the exact numbers so that you can do an experiment to enlighten the rest of us. Otherwise save your $500, trial and error never fails

@abm2399 11 ай бұрын

Great opener, very funny.

@622wesc Жыл бұрын

Don't know if you seen my lighting comment on your other video. But thanks this video answered everything.

@kim-babieslikemine3709 Жыл бұрын

I got my aquarium co op light ordered... and a few other things. Can't wait to try red plants this time with a good light.

@kasperaquatics Жыл бұрын

The light and Par info has my Nerm brain going 🤯

@gazza2933 Жыл бұрын

I want to return to tropical fish, after thirt years away from the hobby. Great Channe! Just subscribed. A Happy and Safe New Year Everyone. 👍 🇺🇸 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

@billy1503 Жыл бұрын

To anybody who may be curious what par their light is putting out, there’s an app called photone that can provide fairly accurate readings!

@sdqsdq6274 Жыл бұрын

par meter require a good light sensor , dont think a phone light sensor is meant for that

@spaghetti1641 Жыл бұрын

I have tried it but it was reading PAR as 0.75 for example. And when my light was at the highest - blinding - it just reached 2 PAR. So I am hoping in the app I should go by the 0. Reading as being equivalent to what is being said in this video right?

@megleland6320 Жыл бұрын

Your fish-room is looking so dope

@kurtisstutzman7056 Жыл бұрын

Can't get enough free brain learnins... Keep it up...!

@michaelfisher737 Жыл бұрын

Hey, I'm not a nerd, you're a nerd! ...wait, I'm totally a nerd. Great video, I've been considering getting a PAR meter to get a good grasp on lighting levels to help understand lighting needs more. This video helps!

@savannamm Жыл бұрын

I had a little 6g tank that the lid broke. I could not find a small, dimmable light that would fit on it and the one I had was creating SO MUCH ALGAE. I ended up getting red root floaters and had to thin them out weekly because they grew so well from such high light and my algae problem got much better

@jacobfawley3336 Жыл бұрын

This is why I think it would be useful to have a mounting option for the new easy plant light that is raised. It would make maintenance easier and the PAR would be more even across the tank.

@Mikinct 3 ай бұрын

This device informed me which friends are the brightest

@jason_chan Жыл бұрын

Super helpful video, thank you! I didn’t realize there was so much difference in actual light depending on depth and location in the tank. If you have plants all over, does it make sense to slide your light to the front and back from time to time to ensure better light coverage for foreground and background plants?

@neithermanc1 Жыл бұрын

i've pushed the light all around my aquarium to help plants that are looking a little sad grow better. works great in my experience!

@Knight636 Жыл бұрын

Beautiful, I would like to see the light on some colored plants if possible please.

@shanes-aquatic Жыл бұрын

I'd say this video is pretty much on PAR with Cory's other educational videos. 😎

@SimonCharbonnet Жыл бұрын

Don't forget your coat and hat when you leave the building... 😂

@shanes-aquatic Жыл бұрын

@@SimonCharbonnet Done. Don't forget to tip your waitress. :p

@SimonCharbonnet Жыл бұрын

@@shanes-aquatic 🤣🤣🤣

@sydrickflores4242 Ай бұрын

Could you do a updated video on par readings with distance measurements, so people without a expensive par reader have a basis of how far the light has to be to put out a certain number of par. That would be very helpful! thanks!

@AquariumCoop Ай бұрын

check the description here, it has all the par values at what height for our lights. www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/lights/products/aquarium-co-op-easy-plant-led

@markkraman886 Жыл бұрын

Epic intro

@billy1503 Жыл бұрын

Having a par meter, you may find it interesting, and beneficial, to figure out your dli.

@bbbccc87 11 ай бұрын

Hi Cory, I enjoy your videos and teaching. One question: for lighting you used an elaborate device, what about those of us who have only one aquarium? Any thoughts? Bill

@yeders Жыл бұрын

Hey! Great video. My par sensor isnt waterproof, can you do a test in and out of water, as I'm keen to know how water impacts the level.

@leahcarter1572 Жыл бұрын

I’d love to see the PAR difference with the diy lids that Zenzo makes. Does it get above 40?

@simonbuys Жыл бұрын

Great info! Can you show in a future light video what the effect of putting black tape on the bottem of a light is? MD fishtanks does this when the light is not dimmable.

@AnhVu-xo8hs Жыл бұрын

Dont think any manufacturer would recommend doing that. Black tape absorb all lightwaves, turn into heat energy, would damage your clear plastic pane under the light. Raising the light higher would spread and lower the density of light particles hitting an area according to square root law, as demonstrated in the video by cory you can lower output at substrate level by half by raising the light 10inches

@nyraven125 Жыл бұрын

I was just on your website. I was wondering if you folks could set up a beginner plant set up to buy. Like multiple plants that are beginner friendly to start out with?

@k0olmini11 Жыл бұрын

This information puts me up to PAR. Get it?

@qcsupport2594 Жыл бұрын

This topic is why I wish the Co-Op sold some kind of pedestals to elevate plants while you're getting them going.

@davidhess6899 Жыл бұрын

I learned that as soon as you get the 36 inch light in stocks I'm buying

@wirawhitebelt7364 Жыл бұрын

👍

@natalia3666 Жыл бұрын

👍🏼

@MadameMay Жыл бұрын

💖🐟🌱

@MissChelle Жыл бұрын

I’m so confused! I thought I needed to consider the Luhmens, not the par……. Please explain in this series Cory. I wish I could borrow your brain for a week! ❤️🇦🇺

@shaunneal9981 Жыл бұрын

Lumens is basically a measure of brightness. The higher the lumens the brighter the light. Light is made up of a spectrum of colours which we see in a rainbow 🌈. More red spectrum gives the light a warmer red look etc. Plants can only use certain colours of the spectrum to grow so you could have a light that is very high in lumens ie very bright but in the wrong spectrum for the plants to use. PAR is a measure of the amount of light in the right spectrum that plants like.

@rickjames520 Жыл бұрын

Cracks me up how many KZfaqrs don't want to give fluval a name drop lol !

@doinalright6868 Жыл бұрын

Nothing to do with topic but was wondering about angel fish. I've always let them pick a mate can I take a male and a female that I pick and will they pair up?

@billy1503 Жыл бұрын

Keep in mind, the lower your par, the taller your stem plants will grow. They reach for the light!

@llantood23 Жыл бұрын

I just bought the 48” light for my 55 gallon. Is there a kit that will suspend this light from the ceiling?

@adannay109 Жыл бұрын

What size light for the 40 breeder?

@kimkrikaujensen3084 4 ай бұрын

But what about spectrum? Like the different colors, does it matter?

@lam4517 Жыл бұрын

We are watching a video about lighting, yet Cory is in the dark :-)

@KatieDeGo Жыл бұрын

How many PAR would reach bottom of you had full spec LEDs with salvinia on top and Planted tank on bottom?

@billy1503 Жыл бұрын

If it’s a full blanketing layer of salvinia as mine is(unfortunately also duckweed) it should cut par by 20-40%

@MegaDieseldriver Жыл бұрын

Now what about duration ? How do we add that into the equation? Is 30 par at 12 hours the same as 60 par for 6 hours as far as the plant is concerned ?

@billy1503 Жыл бұрын

Daily light integral. That’s what you’re talking about. And you’d be correct. More intense light requires less time to reach the same dli.

@catfishcave379 Жыл бұрын

So recommended PAR settings for anubias and Java fern would be 20-40? Maybe my lights are too bright for my fern; they keep browning. My anubias grow like weeds.

@AquariumCoop Жыл бұрын

Possibly, You can grow them in a par of like 2. But how fast do you want them to grow and how much nutrients. It's still a balancing act at the end. I prefer slower growth, people new to plants want the fastest. Over years though, I want it to look good, and just only need trimming every few months.

@ianzeus 8 ай бұрын

Any estimate how much reduction in PAR is with water vs no water?

@thealphabetta Жыл бұрын

How much PAR is necessary for Amazon Swords and Corkscrew Val?

@coltwill1430 Жыл бұрын

I never here the tick of your water controller until you point it out😂

@tekjunkie28 Жыл бұрын

Green house tops??? Ok so where do I get one because I have to have a top but I want to cut down on my power usage because my electric bill keeps going up. Every little bit helps

@AquariumCoop Жыл бұрын

We have a video on the channel on how to make them. You can buy the panel at home depot.

@monokendo 8 ай бұрын

what about lights that says PAR@12" in air 104 why "air" and not water? how much would that drop?

@AquariumCoop 8 ай бұрын

Most people don't know the difference, yeah air par is a lot higher than water par.

@Kado244 Жыл бұрын

Plant nerd video 📹

@Constantine_Cvl8 Жыл бұрын

Of course, Cory manifests into our reality from the realm of Aqua Co-Topia via the invisible portals within his fish room

@gigi3242 Жыл бұрын

YaY!! Nerd video.

@Kingshukpalchoudhury Жыл бұрын

What is the par value of a cheap 'white' led light , 6500k, at 2 feet depth say a 50 watt light...or whatever you have with you..? And how does that vary with depth?

@AquariumCoop Жыл бұрын

Well the problem is, 50 watts of led, could vary wildly. Low quality driver, leds, and a wide spread would lead to really low levels of light, where as very few leds, focused would be insane bright. Think of a flashlight when you narrow it or widen it. On top of the quality of the flashlight to begin with. So basically I can't give you anything concrete to go on.