• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

how do i find/work out the lumens of a light?

Can't answer the question directly but would imagine a high end light like this will be pushing 120+ lumens per watt.
@oreo57 might be able to give you a bit more info, and maybe guesstimate the lumen output.
 
John q said:
Can't answer the question directly but would imagine a high end light like this will be pushing 120+ lumens per watt.
@oreo57 might be able to give you a bit more info, and maybe guesstimate the lumen output.
Click to expand...
Nope can't guessitimate lumens really but there is no real need to. It would sort of be possible with only white leds though.
The small whites seem to run like 80-150 Lumens/watt so knowing wattage one could guess.
Thing is though, lumens are not a good metric anyways. Somewhat usable if it is all you got but not really
There is plenty of par data for the saltwater versions and besides for a bit of UV with saltwater lights you measure the same range from 400-700nm (new Bugbee range of 400-740-ish, I forget the exact IR nm)
With the light mounted 9 inches above the water and measured 6 inches below the water, the center par is 268.
Click to expand...

XR15 G5 PAR

Was talking to @Mozby about this. I got a new XR15 to put over my frag tank. At 100% intensity and 9” over the tank, I measured ~150 PAR in the center about 11” down (so 20” from the light). It seems very low. Thoughts?
www.bareefers.org
Measuring 11 inches below the water, 150 PAR doesn't sound wrong.
Click to expand...
 
oreo57 said:
Nope can't guessitimate lumens really but there is no real need to. It would sort of be possible with only white leds though.
The small whites seem to run like 80-150 Lumens/watt so knowing wattage one could guess.
Thing is though, lumens are not a good metric anyways. Somewhat usable if it is all you got but not really
There is plenty of par data for the saltwater versions and besides for a bit of UV with saltwater lights you measure the same range from 400-700nm (new Bugbee range of 400-740-ish, I forget the exact IR nm)

XR15 G5 PAR

Was talking to @Mozby about this. I got a new XR15 to put over my frag tank. At 100% intensity and 9” over the tank, I measured ~150 PAR in the center about 11” down (so 20” from the light). It seems very low. Thoughts?
www.bareefers.org
Click to expand...
Too scientific for me.
Basically I want to know what light intensity do I need for a low tech tank and what intensity for a high tech advanced plant tank.
 
john6 said:
Basically I want to know what light intensity do I need for a low tech tank
Click to expand...
For low-tech the answer is definitely not much... Start out telling us how big the tanks are - dimensions and how you plan to mount the fixtures - top of glass or hanging over the tanks etc. planning to have a lot of surface covered with floating plants all that... thats a good start. Choosing light can be a really frustrating experience... good thing we have @oreo57 who is our go-to expert on light.

Cheers,
Michael
 
john6 said:
I am trying to find what lumens my lights are but everywhere I read it says it says on the box, well my lights do not say anything on the box about lumens, I,ve looked on the manufacturers website and nothing, so how do I find what the lumens are for my lights?
Click to expand...
There is always debate about "what par level for a ..." but this is a general one
www.boodleshireaquatics.com

What is a High-Tech Planted Tank?

As an amateur perfectionist I like to make sure whatever I'm doing is practiced in the most efficient way. If there is some procedure or technology that can be utilized to increase performance or success, I want to implement it. This aspect of my personality manifests itself in several ways...
www.boodleshireaquatics.com www.boodleshireaquatics.com

Put one XR15g5 over a 24" (60cm cubed) 60gal 225L cube tank and you can do low to high tech.
Thing to remember is the depth of tank and the "focus" of the leds matter so one can't exactly use like watts or lux.
60 gal 12" deep tank is different than a 20" deep 60gal tank as to light needs.
Or 90 degree lensed leds vs 120 degree.
 
MichaelJ said:
For low-tech the answer is definitely not much... Start out telling us how big the tanks are - dimensions and how you plan to mount the fixtures - top of glass or hanging over the tanks etc. planning to have a lot of surface covered with floating plants all that... thats a good start. Choosing light can be a really frustrating experience... good thing we have @oreo57 who is our go-to expert on light.

Cheers,
Michael
Click to expand...
Does it matter how they are mounted? surely it is just the height you need?
3 Radions xr15 g5 freshwater over a 6x2x2 mounted at 8" above the water, low tech.
2 radions xr15 g5 freshwater over a red sea reefer425 xl mounted at 8" above the water, will be high tech.
 
oreo57 said:
There is always debate about "what par level for a ..." but this is a general one
www.boodleshireaquatics.com

What is a High-Tech Planted Tank?

As an amateur perfectionist I like to make sure whatever I'm doing is practiced in the most efficient way. If there is some procedure or technology that can be utilized to increase performance or success, I want to implement it. This aspect of my personality manifests itself in several ways...
www.boodleshireaquatics.com www.boodleshireaquatics.com

Put one XR15g5 over a 24" (60cm cubed) 60gal 225L cube tank and you can do low to high tech.
Click to expand...
Thanks but my question is do I run them at 10%, 30%, 80 %, etc? No point running a low tech at 10% when 25% is needed and so on.
 
john6 said:
Thanks but my question is do I run them at 10%, 30%, 80 %, etc? No point running a low tech at 10% when 25% is needed and so on.
Click to expand...
I am not trying to be pedantic but 10% 30% 80% etc. relative to what? ... my advice in general when it comes to adjustable light in low-tech (the only tech level I know about) is really to adjust as you go, but start out as low as you can go that still gives you are pleasurable viewing experience ... and see how the plants adapt.

This is a fairly good representation - true to how it looks if you would sit in front of the tank - of how I run my lights in my low-tech:

1710015515058.png


Cheers,
Michael
 
Last edited:
@MichaelJ - are those Cardinals or Neon Tetra I can see in there?
 
john6 said:
Does it matter how they are mounted? surely it is just the height you need?
3 Radions xr15 g5 freshwater over a 6x2x2 mounted at 8" above the water, low tech.
2 radions xr15 g5 freshwater over a red sea reefer425 xl mounted at 8" above the water, will be high tech.
Click to expand...
Sorry for the misunderstanding. Yes height is what matters. Determines spread over the tank and par at depth.
No 3 over a 6x2x2 at 100% intensity and at a height where 90% of the light enters at the water line will be "at least" low high tech.
You have 300 watts of narrowish optics over a not too deep 180 gal tank.
In the " old days" 6 48" t5ho's was def high tech. That's 324 watt.
LEDs historically can match t5 output in a 1 for 2 ratio so 162 watts is an equivalent. and that is for the wider smaller LEDs.
 
Last edited:
john6 said:
Thanks but my question is do I run them at 10%, 30%, 80 %, etc? No point running a low tech at 10% when 25% is needed and so on.
Click to expand...
I agree with Michaels's statement he made below in regard to low-tech:
MichaelJ said:
my advice in general when it comes to adjustable light in low-tech (the only tech level I know about) is really to adjust as you go, but start out as low as you can go that still gives you are pleasurable viewing experience ... and see how the plants adapt.
Click to expand...
I have a Fluval Plant 3.0, which is NOT a high-end light. However, when I started, I had them at 75% and 50% in my low-tech 25 Gallon / 100 Litre aquarium. It was just massively overkill and now have them below the 20% mark. At first you think that its not as bright as 'I think' it should be - but after a while you realise that your fish colours are washed out and much lower light does better for aesthetics and also enables plants to grow.
 
Sorry, I'm kind of preoccupied so s bot scattered.. As to your question about what % there is no one answer. You may be at 10% for lie tech to begin since your plant load is generally light. As it grows in you may be able to increase it more.
You may need more than 1i% initially if you have some more demanding plants

There is no 1 answer.

Anyways the best judge will be your tank and plants.
 
Bradders said:
@MichaelJ - are those Cardinals or Neon Tetra I can see in there?
Click to expand...

It's an older picture of my 2nd tank after a good weed out. Yes those are Cardinal Tetras.

Right now, in addition: Black Neons (breeding!), Ruby Red Tetras and a couple of Otto's that I absolutely only see during WC :lol: . Cherry shrimps, Tiger shrimps, Bee/Crystal Shrimps and most recently Tangerine shrimps... all shrimps are breeding prolifically and of course a lots of "beloved" Ramshorns :)

Anyway, sorry @john6 for jacking up your thread.

Cheers,
Michael
 
Last edited:
Bradders said:
but after a while you realise that your fish colours are washed out and much lower light does better for aesthetics and also enables plants to grow.
Click to expand...
Right. I pretty much balance my light in terms of intensity and color - spectral power distribution if you will - to give me the best viewing pleasure which include making my fish look the best... and of course, not getting the plants stressed out which is mostly something that happens at the high intensity range in a low-tech tank.

Cheers,
Michael
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top