Lighting Change

[acemart]

Am replacing my PCs (4X65w) on my 72 gal bowfront with 2X250 MH and PC actinics. What is the best way or the best ways to acclimate the inhabitants to the new lights. Have mushrooms, zoos, and Xenias along with fish and snails and crabs.....

 

[Krish]

Welcome to RF acemart! Glad to you decided to join us here. I've never doubled my wattage with lights in any setup yet so I'm not positive which way is the best to go. I'm sure you will get good responses soon enough...

 

[steve-s]

Maintain the same/similar photoperiod if using actinic supp's but you can cut back on the MH timeframe closer to 10 hrs/day. The main concern is the greatly increased intensity. That is best dealt with using several layers of screen door material to "shade" the new MH down to a relative intensity representing what the PC are (were). You will need about 4-6 sheets depending on the height the MH are suspended at above the water line. Every week or so, remove one layer of the screening material and gradually step up the intensity. This slow process allows the corals/inhabitants a slow migration upwards as apposed to all at once. Light shock does not only affect corals so it's a benefit all 'round.

Any corals that are typically deep(er) reef dwellers, should be moved closer to the substrate level to prevent bleaching as the intensity is stepped up.

When introducing new corals, always start them off on the bottom of the tank and allow a good week for photoacclimation. Then every few days, increase the height until you get to the desired or best suited conditions for the given species and then anchor it permanently.

Cheers
Steve

 

[mfinn]

I agree with steve-s. I like to use eggcrate to support the screen material over the tank.

 

[NaH2O]

Agreed! and Welcome to Reef Frontiers!!!

 

[shallowreef]

What if you just raised your lights. Than every week lower them a little more. Do this over the course of a month or two. Thats what i did and it worked OK. If you can't raise the lights than do what everyone else is saying.

 

[steve-s]

Difusng the light is a little more fool proof and less guess work. You can estimate the the height of the light increase vs the reduction in intesity (about 10%/inch I think) but overall, doesn't offer the same margin of safety difusing would. It also really depends on what's in the tank that may be damaged by light shock. Each species of animal, coral or not, will react in a different way.

Don't get me wrong, your idea does work and many do it. It's just not the best or safest approach.

Cheers
Steve

 

[shallowreef]

Thats cool, i just learned something

Thanks,
Nick

 

[acemart]

Thanks to everyone for the info and for the nice welcome to Reef Frontiers.

Here is my set up: 72 gal bowfront with 4-5" DSB and about 120 lbs of LR. No mechanical filtration, but do use a skimmer. Tank is 10 months old. Have had steady parameters for over 8 months. No Ammonia, Nitrite or Nitrates. Got rid of Phosphates when I got an RO/DI unit. SG is maintained at 1.025, temp 78.8-79.8. Calcium is normally 400-420 and PH is 8.2-8.3, Alk solidly in normal range.
This started out as a FOWLR, but I soon realized I was heading for a full reef system. Currently have zoo's, palys, mushrooms, and xenias. (Also a BTA that is hosting a Percula Clown-had to have becasue of 10 year old granddaughter). Plan to add (slowly of course), both LPS and SPS once tank is acclimated to the new lights.

What height over the tank would you recommend I hang them? Also, what types of "conflicts" might I have with my current stocking as I add new corals.

 

[NaH2O]

How deep is the tank? I have my 250W MHs about 8" off the water surface (to the bottom of the bulb), and my tank is 24" deep.

Depending on what species of corals you will be introducing, I think the biggest "conflict" that sticks out in my mind is aggression with LPS corals. You will want to watch what corals you have around them, for the more aggressive species will send out long sweeper tentacles to sting other corals.

 

[acemart]

From top of tank to the top of the DSB, I am only about 18" deep.