Coral Par Value Chart

The PAR value to place a coral under can vary from tank to tank. This is because there is a direct correlation between the nitrate level of a tank and the lighting intensity a coral can take. High nitrates; a coral can handle much much more light then it can in a low nitrate tank. This is the reason why there is so much disparity from hobbyist to hobbyist when discussing their light settings. The settings I am sharing below can be used as a guideline to start your new coral off in the proper spot. You can use the T-shirt size on the product page for the coral you purchased to compare it to the PAR values in the chart below. My average Nitrate level is 5. If your nitrates are lower then that use the bottom end of the value. If they are much higher say 20 then you can use the higher end of the range suggested.

Low             75 - 125
Medium     150 - 200
High           250 - 350
Very High   400 - 500

In general at a Nitrate level of 5-10 most Softies and LPS do well at 200 while most SPS do well at 250 - 300.

Typically the higher the nitrate the deeper the coloration. However with high nitrate can come algae. I like to have it as high as I can go and the tangs still able to keep the tank free from algae.