beginning coral tank???

[djessem]

Can anyone give me some information..I have several toadstool leather mushrooms and they are being placed in a new reef tank that I am starting ( 3 months old from a newly started tank) They have not displayed the peach color and extended their tentacles like they were in the reef tank i purchased them from. They are in a medium to low flow current with 10,000 k flourescent and an actinic blue. Can anyone give me some suggestions as to why they havent displayed like they were when i bought them

 

[j21kickster]

Are they regular flourscent bulbs? If so thet is your problem- Putting them high in a tank with VHO or PC would help and if you have the money MH would be a good investment

 

[djessem]

I am in the process of putting together a 250 W MH in a home built light canopy and adding the flourescents i currently run with it......do you think that will help?

 

[j21kickster]

sure do but be sure to acclimate them to the light slowly- start with around 4 hours and work you way up over about 2 weeks

 

[djessem]

In my acclimation process with the new MH lights, starting at 4 hours per day, what is the eventual goal for lighting using a timer? What is the amount of time the MH's should be timed to be on when im finished with the acclimation process and what should the increments be towards bringing the lights up to the final timer settings?

 

[j21kickster]

10-12 hrs- depending on how your corals respond

 

[djessem]

Thank you very much!!!.....have a great evening and again...thanks for the info. I had assumed the lighting was my primary problem and am trying to get the new light system up n running. Hopefully that will solve my problem. Much thanks!

 

[justinl]

Mine took almost a month to open up but now it looks fantastic. IT just needs to adjust.

 

[djessem]

Thank you and Ill keep you posted on the progresws after the lighting is functional........again thanx