# Par level chart for plants



## kidgrave (Feb 4, 2014)

I have Anubias Nana Petite and Ludwigia Repens, and it grows perfectly fine in about 25 par. I think that list should have included the minimum ammount of par to grow certain plant species because all plants could benefit from high light and co2.


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## rlswaney73 (Jun 11, 2011)

The chart doesn't really say where they have taken the PAR reading from... surface, substrate, reaching the plants etc... unless I've missed it somewhere...


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Before a chart like that can mean anything you have to first define what you mean by "PAR Level". When I use that term I mean the PAR measured at the substrate level. Unless your light fixture is mounted 10 feet above the tank, the PAR will be considerably higher near the water line than at the substrate, and the plant will be growing through a range of PAR values, lowest at the substrate, highest at the water level.


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## micheljq (Oct 24, 2012)

Hi,

Is this a company which sells lighting? I would take this with a pinch of salt, 40 PARs a minimum to grow Anubias? I don't think so, this plant's requirements are very low.

Michel.


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## shawnwaldon (Dec 5, 2013)

I don't think they are concerned with the depth of the area the PAR reading is at. I think they are just giving you a range that the plant's PAR levels are "recommended" to be at whatever distance the plant is from the light. They do give a minimal, ideal, and maximum recommendation. As with anything "recommend" is a loose term. I have also grown low - medium light plants with a low PAR rating. I am building a high tech aquarium and will be most likely be purchasing my LED fixture from BML and they have a very high PAR rating so I thought it was good to see a list that gave such a broad range of ratings. I guess I will just have to try it out and see what I can do.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

shawnwaldon said:


> I don't think they are concerned with the depth of the area the PAR reading is at. I think they are just giving you a range that the plant's PAR levels are "recommended" to be at whatever distance the plant is from the light. They do give a minimal, ideal, and maximum recommendation. .....


Then, they are just wrong. Without the slightest question, they are wrong. Far too many people have grown many of those plants with much lower light levels, and they grew very well. Unfortunately, when people see such an apparently comprehensive table they assume it is correct. This one is not correct, however you interpret it.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

shawnwaldon said:


> I was looking around at websites the other day and cam across this chart. If this is accurate then my mind is blown on how high of a PAR rating is recommended for plants on this list. Here is a link to the list. Any opinions?
> 
> http://answers.seneye.com/en/Aquarium_help/what_is_PAR_?/fresh_water_plant_PAR_levels


This is BS.

They made up this stuff. 

And I'm being "nice". :hihi:


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## shawnwaldon (Dec 5, 2013)

Hoppy said:


> Then, they are just wrong. Without the slightest question, they are wrong. Far too many people have grown many of those plants with much lower light levels, and they grew very well. Unfortunately, when people see such an apparently comprehensive table they assume it is correct. This one is not correct, however you interpret it.



That is the reason I post stuff like this, so people can see what us experienced aquarists have to say about it.


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## shawnwaldon (Dec 5, 2013)

So then that begs the question, what is an ideal PAR level to grow the majority of plants. IMO I think that having a PAR level around 50 or 60 is a good middle ground for growing a verity of low - high light requiring plants. I would also implement co2 in the system to help the plants grow. The aquarium in my main pic was a 29 tall and I used a finnex ray 2. It grew the medium to high light plants that were tall very well, but my ground cover was very slow growing. The PAR for the fixture at substraight level in my aquarium was only around 35,but mid tank par level was what I called my sweet spot of 50-60.


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