Light meter to measure marine aquarium light intensity.

[Timothy Tom]

I have often seen "experts" and non experts, give estimates for the
wattage of lighting required for a reef aquarium in the 3-5
Watt/gallon range. This estimate can be very misleading since I would
imagine it is very dependent on the depth of your tank (and the types
of organisms you plan to keep). I have a 30" deep hexagonal 150
gallon tank, and have approximately 530 watts of VHO lighting in my
tank. This amount of lighting may be considered adequate for a 24"
deep tank, but I imagine I do not have adequate light at 30" Is there
any meter available to measure light intensity (of specific
wavelengths) at varying depths in an aquarium, and any reference which
could then be checked for optimal light intensities for various
corals?

[Boomer]

" Is there
any meter available to measure light intensity (of specific
wavelengths) at varying depths in an aquarium, and any reference which
could then be checked for optimal light intensities for various
corals?"

Well, yes and no, see links. There was a naval optics reefer around a few years ago who
made and sold a $250 radiometric spectrophotometer just for aquariums, but you needed a
PC, since the data was measure and kept in a data logger, which then ran off of a program
he built. I almost bought one, wish I did, but didn't have a PC back then and had no
intentions of ever owning on ........LOL, look at me know 5 hrs a day on the dam thing.

The only thing you can afford now is a good light meter, but that really doesn't give you
_real_ values

http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1998/june/product/default.asp

http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1998/nov/features/1/default.asp

http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/jan/features/2/default.asp

http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/july/features/2/default.asp

http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/s/b/sbj4/aquarium/ballast%20comparison/ballast-compari
son.html

http://www.aquarium-design.com/reef/uvlighting.html

http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1998/june/features/2/default.asp
--
Boomer

WCWing@Chartermi..net

If You See Me Running You Better Catch-Up
"Timothy Tom" <tdt...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:ff44f110.01122...@posting.google.com...
: I have often seen "experts" and non experts, give estimates for the

[Steve "Srfmon"]

Boomer, I have seen charts that will tell you at what depth a given
wavelength will stop penetrating water. You could do a guesstamite based on
your lights age, spectrum, & wattage.
Steve
"Boomer" <wcw...@chartermi.net> wrote in message
news:u2o2brd...@corp.supernews.com...

[Boomer]

Yes, ocean charts, but most tanks are only 1-4ft deep and charts are in meters. There is a
more accurate way of doing it using equations called "extinction coefficients", but again
tanks are shallow so there is not much light loss. You also have to take into
consideration glass reflection, room light, washover sunlight, etc.. You are also not
dealing with the sun but light bulbs, not the same (100W of fluoro's don't penetrate the
same as 100W of MH) so yes you could get a poor "guesstamite". There are also some
equations floating around for reef tanks.

--
Boomer

WCWing@Chartermi..net

If You See Me Running You Better Catch-Up

"Steve "Srfmon"" <sbal...@socal.rr.com> wrote in message
news:80eX7.262$0b.1...@typhoon.socal.rr.com...
: Boomer, I have seen charts that will tell you at what depth a given

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