Acclimating corals to new MH
- Thread starter jauringer
- Start date
007
Active Member
Not totally sure here, because I dont have halides, but if it were me, here is what I would do:
Start off by using your nromal everyday lighting schedule. Then turn on the new bulb for 30 min as soon as the other halide comes on. Gradually increse the photoperiod of the seconf halide over the next couple weeks until it matches your other halide. Make sense?
Start off by using your nromal everyday lighting schedule. Then turn on the new bulb for 30 min as soon as the other halide comes on. Gradually increse the photoperiod of the seconf halide over the next couple weeks until it matches your other halide. Make sense?
bdhough
Active Member
Another version. If you want to be absolutely safe, without moving your corals all over. Just run the extra halide half and hour first week and add on half an hour every week till you get it up to what you want.
There are a number of ways to do it. Whatever you choose remember to give 4-7 days before adding more light.
There are a number of ways to do it. Whatever you choose remember to give 4-7 days before adding more light.
spsfreak100
Active Member
I highly agree with raising the lighting a half an hour at a time rather than an hour. An hour can easily shock the corals. It's always best to do a little at a time.
I have aclamated my corals several times this way:
Start off the halides at 2 hours daily. Increase the lighting 30 minutes every 2-3 days, depending on how your corals are responding to the new lighting. If the corals show any sign of stress (for soft corals, "melting" can be seen, poor polyp extention, drooping, etc.), decrease the photo period.
Graham
I have aclamated my corals several times this way:
Start off the halides at 2 hours daily. Increase the lighting 30 minutes every 2-3 days, depending on how your corals are responding to the new lighting. If the corals show any sign of stress (for soft corals, "melting" can be seen, poor polyp extention, drooping, etc.), decrease the photo period.
Graham
jauringer
Member
spsfreak, i was hoping you would see this and respond. i had one 150 HQI and 1 96 actinic. I moved the MH over to put the second one (obviously)next to it. The last 3 days I have been running the 1 MH and the actinics as usual (8 hour photo period)and then the second MH kicks on for 1 hour in the evening. The only problem I have seen is that one half of my tank is pretty dark now. I made sure too keep the MH halide that is on the normal schedule over my stonies, but do think this may cause a problem. I was also thinking of maybe splitting my photo period between both MH's with the hours they overlap increasing over the next month. (did that make sence?)
bdhough
Active Member
That makes sense becuse then if you couple in an actinic bulb you could potentiall simulate a better night/day effect. Its more up to you what you do. One thing to keep in mind is that a typical reef out in the wild gets its most light only 4-6 hours a day. So maybe you could burn each for six hours and overlap them by 4 hours and leave the actinics on for one hour before and beyond that....
Thats probably what i would do.
Thats probably what i would do.
spsfreak100
Active Member
One thing to keep in mind is that a typical reef out in the wild gets its most light only 4-6 hours a day.
Depending where the reef is located, some reef can receive as much as 14 hours of lighting.
jauringer,
Either way you choose, it should work fine.
do think this may cause a problem.
I don't see any problem. I've done that method once while I was switching from the Radiums to the Ushio's, and I haven't had any problems. I do think that you could leave the new halide on for up to 3 hours and increase it 30 minutes every 2-3 days, due to the fact that the old halide was also 150wts.
Out of curiousity, how long is the tank, and where was the first (old) halide positioned in the tank? Was it in the middle of the tank?
Graham
Depending where the reef is located, some reef can receive as much as 14 hours of lighting.
jauringer,
Either way you choose, it should work fine.
do think this may cause a problem.
I don't see any problem. I've done that method once while I was switching from the Radiums to the Ushio's, and I haven't had any problems. I do think that you could leave the new halide on for up to 3 hours and increase it 30 minutes every 2-3 days, due to the fact that the old halide was also 150wts.
Out of curiousity, how long is the tank, and where was the first (old) halide positioned in the tank? Was it in the middle of the tank?
Graham
bdhough
Active Member
SPSfreak oh i understand they get that much lighting in the day i meant MAX lighting in the day is only 4-6 hours. Hence his situation MAX would be 4-6 hours of both his halides. I understand simulating a true day on a reef in a home environment is all but impossible though. BUT setting your lights on timers is the best thing you can do for your tank....
