Coral PAR Value Chart & Lighting Placement Guide



Lazy’s Coral House Lighting Guide

Coral PAR Value Chart

Use this guide as a starting point when placing a new coral in your aquarium. The ideal PAR range can change based on your nutrients, lighting, and individual tank conditions.

Reference nitrate 5 ppm
Placement guidance PAR is a starting point

Why PAR recommendations vary

The PAR value that works for a coral can vary from tank to tank. Nutrient levels, especially nitrate, can influence how much lighting intensity a coral can tolerate.

In a higher-nitrate aquarium, a coral may be able to handle more light than it could in a very low-nutrient system. This is one reason hobbyists may report very different lighting settings for the same type of coral.

Starting Placement Guide

Match the light requirement shown on the coral’s product page with the corresponding PAR range below.

Low
75–125 PAR

Lower-light placement, off center of the fixture or the lower regions of the aquarium for chalices, mushrooms & some zoas

Medium
150–200 PAR

Moderate lighting suitable for many soft corals and LPS corals.

High
250–350 PAR

Higher-light placement commonly used for SPS and other light-demanding corals.

Very High
400–500 PAR

Extremely intense lighting intended for carefully acclimated high-light corals SPS coral,

Adjust for your aquarium

Use nitrate to choose where to start

My average nitrate level is approximately 5 ppm. Use the lower or higher end of each PAR range depending on the nutrient level in your own aquarium.

< 2 ppm


Begin near the bottom of the recommended PAR range.

5 ppm


Use the middle of the suggested PAR range as a starting point.

10+ ppm


The upper end of the recommended PAR range may be appropriate.

Quick reference

Common starting points

Softies & LPS Approximately 150–200 PAR
Most SPS Approximately 200–300 PAR
Color and nutrients

More nitrate can produce deeper coloration

Higher nitrate levels can sometimes result in deeper coral coloration. However, elevated nutrients can also encourage algae growth.

I prefer to keep nitrate between 2 and 10 ppm while the tangs and other cleanup animals help keep the aquarium free of excessive algae.

Always acclimate corals gradually

Avoid moving a coral directly into intense lighting. Start lower, monitor the coral’s response and gradually move it toward its intended placement. Flow, water chemistry, spectrum and coral history also affect how a coral responds.

This chart is intended as a placement guideline, not an absolute requirement. Observe each coral and adjust its placement based on its individual response.