# lux light meter



## farrier (Jan 28, 2004)

i have a new milwaukee lux light meter model sm700 with waterprobe. I put the probe on the botton of my aquarium and the reading was 450-500 light intensity . my aquarium 150 gal show and about 32 in deep . is high, med or low lighting????


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## carpguy (Feb 3, 2006)

After reading a little bit here and here, I'd have to say that you're well over on the low end of the coin.

It'd probably be a lot easier for most folks to comment meaningfully if you described your lighting. Lux isn't all that common a measure, compared to wpg of light type x f'r instance.

Intensity also is only one factor you'd want to look at, color temps, spectrum, PAR, etc all being things that someone who wants to take a close and techy look at lights will also want to consider.


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## defdac (May 10, 2004)

Yes the measurements of the aquarium and the wattage and type of bulbs would be interesting to know.
If you smother out 75% of all the light output from a flourescent fixture onto an area of 1,5x0,6 metres (about the area your 150 gal should have I guess) a 7 watt bulb would give you about 400-500 lux.

7 watts over 150 gals is not much.

Was the meter very shaded by plants?


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## farrier (Jan 28, 2004)

I FOUND THE WEB CALL HTTP://FISH.MONGABAY.COM/PLANT_CARE.HTM FOR PLANT LIGHTING 
LIGHT TYPE LUX WATT/G
SUBDUED 100-500 1.2
MODERATE 500-1000 2 2.5
BRIGHT 1000 1500 2.5 3
VERY BRIGHT 1500 + 3 + THIS HELP WE WITH MY PLANT TANK . I WAS THINKING ABOUT BUYING A NEW LIGHT . BUT I AM GETTING ALL LIGHT I NEED


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

farrier said:


> I FOUND THE WEB CALL HTTP://FISH.MONGABAY.COM/PLANT_CARE.HTM FOR PLANT LIGHTING
> LIGHT TYPE LUX WATT/G
> SUBDUED 100-500 1.2
> MODERATE 500-1000 2 2.5
> ...


That website is not a good source of information, being about 20 years out of date. I suggest that you read a lot from these forums instead, to get much more accurate and current information.


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## defdac (May 10, 2004)

Farrier, I think you need to put a 0 after those lux-values. Here are mine:


```
Philips 865 w/o reflectors  Philips 865 w superreflectors  Aquarelle w/o reflectors   Aquarelle w superreflectors

1 w/g    3400 lux (52 PAR, 27 PUR)    10000 lux (155 PAR, 80 PUR)   2600 lux (49 PAR, 29 PUR)   7700 lux (145 PAR, 87 PUR)

1.2 w/g  4000 lux (63 PAR, 32 PUR)    12000 lux (186 PAR, 96 PUR)   3100 lux (59 PAR, 35 PUR)   9300 lux (174 PAR, 104 PUR)

2.0 w/g  6700 lux (105 PAR, 54 PUR)   20000 lux (310 PAR, 160 PUR)  5200 lux (98 PAR, 59 PUR)   15500 lux (290 PAR, 174 PUR)

2.5 w/g  8400 lux (131 PAR, 67 PUR)   25000 lux (388 PAR, 200 PUR)  6500 lux (123 PAR, 73 PUR)  19000 lux (363 PAR, 217 PUR)

3 w/g    10000 lux (157 PAR, 81 PUR)  30000 lux (466 PAR, 240 PUR)  7900 lux (147 PAR, 88 PUR)  23000 lux (436 PAR, 261 PUR)
```
Note that you get more "growth-power" (PUR) with 1 wpg super reflected Aquarelles than 3 wpg unreflected 865:s.

Also you get the same amount of visual brightness with 1 wpg reflected 865:s compared to 3 wpg unreflected 865:s.

Something for the environment aware aquarists to think about..


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