ReefATLAS PAR Estimator

ReefATLAS PAR Estimator is a subscription-based aquarium lighting analysis app built for reef keepers who want a smarter way to estimate light levels without always having access to a PAR meter.

Designed for reef aquarium hobbyists and professionals, ReefATLAS PAR Estimator helps predict and visualize PAR distribution using tank dimensions, lighting equipment, mounting height, spectrum settings, fixture intensity, water conditions, lid transmission, surface agitation, and other key variables.

The goal is simple: help reef keepers make better lighting and coral placement decisions before guessing, moving coral blindly, or copying someone else’s lighting schedule from a different setup.

FEATURES

• Interactive 3D PAR heatmap visualization
• Support for popular reef aquarium lighting systems
• Multi-fixture light array setup
• Fixture placement using a top-down tank layout
• Support for mixed light models in the same setup
• Individual fixture height, position, rotation, and angle controls
• Master/slave light grouping for linked fixtures
• Spectrum and intensity adjustment tools
• Manufacturer-style spectrum presets where available
• Custom tank dimension configuration
• Manufactured tank catalog support
• Glass thickness and internal dimension calculations
• Surface agitation / shimmer adjustment
• Lid type and lid cleanliness modeling
• Salinity-aware estimate adjustment
• Project save and load functionality
• Local device-based project storage
• Optimized for reef aquarium planning and coral placement

SUPPORTED LIGHTS

ReefATLAS PAR Estimator includes modeled profiles for many popular reef lights, including AquaIllumination, EcoTech Marine, Kessil, Red Sea, ReefBreeders, Maxspect, Fluval, Illumagic, REEFi, Orphek, Philips CoralCare, NavaReef, Noo-Psyche, GHL, Current USA, and more.

View the current supported light list here:

https://thereefatlas.com/par-estimator-lights

New lights and tanks are added regularly. If your light or tank is not listed, the app includes request buttons so you can send it in for review. Requested lights are prioritized for modeling when enough manufacturer/spec/PAR reference data is available.

HOW IT WORKS

Configure your aquarium dimensions, select your lighting equipment, adjust fixture placement, mounting height, spectrum, intensity, water conditions, and lid settings, then generate a 3D PAR distribution estimate throughout the aquarium.

For single-light setups, quickly model one fixture over your tank. For advanced systems, the Light Setup tool lets you place multiple fixtures across a top-down tank grid, including mixed models, different mounting heights, fixture rotation, and angled mounting.

The estimator calculates each fixture’s contribution at each point in the aquarium and combines overlapping light output to create the final PAR estimate. This helps represent real-world multi-light setups where beams overlap, spread, and converge across the tank.

IMPORTANT ACCURACY NOTE

ReefATLAS PAR Estimator is an estimation tool. A real PAR meter will always be the most accurate option for measuring your specific tank.

However, many reef keepers do not have access to a PAR meter. This app is designed to provide a better starting point than guessing by combining modeled light profiles, tank dimensions, fixture placement, spectrum settings, mounting height, water depth, lid transmission, salinity, and surface agitation into one interactive estimate.

Accuracy depends on available fixture data, setup inputs, and real-world variables such as rockwork, coral shading, water clarity, lens condition, and surface movement.

SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED

ReefATLAS PAR Estimator requires an active monthly subscription to access and use the app. A subscription purchase is required to use the PAR estimation tools and features shown in the App Store screenshots and description.

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