PAR requirements of various plants

[rebel]

Hey everyone I came across this list which I found to be interesting....wonder how they got this data?

http://answers.seneye.com/index.php...t_is_PAR_&_PUR_?/fresh_water_plant_PAR_levels

I release many plants are very adaptable to varying conditions but come of the readings here seem very high. To be fair, I have never measured the par in my tanks so can't comment.

Wonder how the readings would look for our favourite types of algae....

 

[zozo]

Search the Forum for member MarcelG, he does study this kinda stuff and uploaded some papers from field studies about it with plant spieces and their light compensation points. This is his website, unfortunately he tossed the English translation of it because lack of time.. i guess that's the reason we didn't see him for months.
http://195.113.57.24/algo/praktika/index.html

 

[roadmaster]

Assuming CO2 limitation/poor distribution is not at play, I believe from my reading's that 50 PAR at the substrate will grow most any of the aquatic weed's.
Also assumes non limiting nutrient availability.
Algae need's much less of everything CO2,Nutrient's,PAR

 

[rebel]

Assuming CO2 limitation/poor distribution is not at play, I believe from my reading's that 50 PAR at the substrate will grow most any of the aquatic weed's.
Also assumes non limiting nutrient availability.
Algae need's much less of everything CO2,Nutrient's,PAR

Same here!

So these measurements from Seneye appears to be inflated??

 

[MrHidley]

I'm not sure how accurate this data is, I have anubias growing in my nano where the par is less than 15!

 

[rebel]

It could due to overestimation of PAR by their meter. What is the gold standard of comparison for PAR anyways??

 

[zozo]

I'm not sure how accurate this data is, I have anubias growing in my nano where the par is less than 15!

Did you ever try a blackout? When i did i was amazed by all the new Anubias leaves greating me happily when i uncovered the tank again after 3 days. Going dark triggers a grow sprint for this spieces. Something to think about, why this triggers such fast growth, while when in the light it's rather a slow grower. Hence the name "Lord of the Underworld"..

The Nymphaea also does grow in the dark from stored energie...

I guess it's something about how certain spieces handle energy... Take for example plants with night flowers.. (Also some nymphaea do.)

 

[roadmaster]

I think PAR values that you or I have at the substrate /surface are good to know.
Is the easiest aspect to control in the planted tank.
Also believe more than a few get caught up trying to use light alone as driver of accelerated plant growth when other variables are much more critical (CO2/nutrient's).
With that said,I am in wonderment much more these day's than before my foray into the planted tank world, how easily the weed's grow from a crack in the sidewalk.

 

[MrHidley]

Did you ever try a blackout? When i did i was amazed by all the new Anubias leaves greating me happily when i uncovered the tank again after 3 days. Going dark triggers a grow sprint for this spieces. Something to think about, why this triggers such fast growth, while when in the light it's rather a slow grower. Hence the name "Lord of the Underworld"..

The Nymphaea also does grow in the dark from stored energie...

I guess it's something about how certain spieces handle energy... Take for example plants with night flowers.. (Also some nymphaea do.)

That's very interesting, I wasn't aware. I also think it's good to have an idea of the par at the base of your aquarium, especially with LEDS as it's much more difficult to know how much light is getting to the bottom when compared to T5s.

 

[zozo]

I also think it's good to have an idea of the par at the base of your aquarium, especially with LEDS as it's much more difficult to know how much light is getting to the bottom when compared to T5s

I have a bunch of leds above my tank, total about 45 watts.. Pitty good relaiable PAR meters are very expensive.. I realy would like to know, my plants tell me it's enough.. Got open top and can adjust its height, if i would put this under a lid it would be far to much.. I guess i'll never know without proper equipment.

 

[MrHidley]

I have a bunch of leds above my tank, total about 45 watts.. Pitty good relaiable PAR meters are very expensive.. I realy would like to know, my plants tell me it's enough.. Got open top and can adjust its height, if i would put this under a lid it would be far to much.. I guess i'll never know without proper equipment.

Yeah, I find it nice to know, especially when starting up a tank for the first few weeks when the plants are particularly sensitive. But if your plants are healthy why worry /

 

[zozo]

That's what i say too.. But just curious.. In my case above a 30 cm tank, i do not believe tube lights can get the same output in same wattage.. Th eluminous specs of leds i do not know what to think of, these are probably a bit overdone.. Regarding factory specs it should be 9360 lumen above my tank.. But this i find hard to believe.

 

[rebel]

Off topic but here Vsauce talks about what happens if the sun dissapears.... Trees may apparently grow for years on stored energy.