10k upgrade..??!!

[mr. tuna]

In a couple months i will be upgrading my 250 watt 5500k MH bulb to a 10k 250 watt MH bulb. When i do upgrade, how do i acclimate the lights to the tank. Do i switch the MH`s overnight, and simply let it run the next day?
Also.. would a 10k bulb bring the color out of the coral to make their apperance nicer?
* I currently have my MH`s on 7 hours a day. ( from 1-8).
Thanks

 

[thedogofwa]

I wouldn't do it 100% overnight but you're actually going to lose intensity so any shock will come from the spectrum shift.
yes, things should look much more appealing. What bulb will you be using?

 

[thedogofwa]

oh and the best way to acclimate is by placing several pieces of screen between the tank and lights. Then you remove 1pc at a time, normally done on a weekly basis.

 

[mr. tuna]

i would be using a 250 watt 10k ushio bulb.
What would happen if i would let it run the next day without acclimating it? Will it stress my coral out?
( its the same wattage just different brand, and degrees kelvin.)

 

[thedogofwa]

how long have you had the previous lighting?
The change in kelvin is going to change the intensity of the light the coral sees as well as wavelengths. You're going up in kelvin which means the intensity is actually going to drop. however, the corals have produced zooxanthellae that would maximize the energy from the wavelengths of the 5500k. If you change the wavelength to 10k the corals will need time to adjust its zooxanthellae populations to maximize energy consumption again. They will also need time to produce pigments that will filter any harmful wavelengths
I don't know the best way to do this. Ideally you would want to slowly decrease the amount of time of the 5500k while increasing the time of the 10k. Not easily accomplished unless you've got the extra harware. I'd recommend no less than 2 weeks, preferably 4.
:notsure: maybe I'll come up with an idea :notsure:

 

[thedogofwa]

I might be way out on a limb here but I'm having a thought. :scared:
Maybe if you could find some clear plastic sheets that come close the 400-420 range (thats where the 10k spike is), you could layer those between the bulb and water, removing a piece every week or few days?
the theory here is that it will filter out the same wavelength as it's color, therefore you will slowly be increasing the intensity of that wavelength by removing the sheets.
anybody got some input on this?