15/08/2022
Why is PAR so important?
PAR is important because it is a measure of how much useful light energy is available to your corals, anemones, clams - your reef aquarium in general! It is also one of the easiest ways to measure the exact amount of light reaching your reef aquarium. Little or too much light harms photosynthetic corals.
In fact, corals on the lower PAR of the ideal spectrum do better than corals with the higher PAR of the mismatched spectrum. You have to think about it as with food. Eating large amounts of junk food is not better than small amounts of good food? Light is the energy that gets converted into food for the corals. Maintaining optimal light quality is our priority and success in maintaining the reef.
The quantum meter from Apogee Instruments MQ-510 is designed for underwater PAR measurements and already applies the sensor draft correction factor to the meter readings using the firmware. The meter provides excellent measurements with all light sources, including LEDs. It consists of a waterproof quantum sensor connected by a waterproof cable to the hand-held meter. The waterproof sensor includes a blue reinforced silicone photodiode and custom optical filters with a durable anodized aluminum housing with an acrylic diffuser.
