Metal Halide Light Acclimation

wilioli

wilioli

Member
Im doing a swap from my 10g to my 20L. I won't be doing this for another 2 weeks, but I want everything to be in order. Right now in the 10g I have 2 'screw-in' 50/50 coralife bulbs. I have some zoas, and will be getting frogspawn in a couple of days to 'hold in the tank' until i get the 20 ready. The 20L will be having a 150w MH fixture, 20000k bulb. I also have 2 oscellaris clowns.
I've read that everyone says to go with the screen door method -- and take one screen off every day -- for approx 5 days. But ive also seen some say that the duration of the lighting should be shotened as well? Is this correct? and if so how much? How exactly should I acclimate the light?
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
I don't know about taking a layer of screen of every day....but I would shorten the photoperiod as well, or if possible you could raise the lighting above the tank, and over a period of time lower the light to the correct level....Either way screen or moving lights, it will take longer than a week. Maybe Spanko or NikeSB will chime in on the screen method.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
I have heard both methods....definitely shorten the time periods...increasing it a little ...BUT 1 week is not long enough to acclimate from pcs to MH
at least 2-4 weeks probably.....if you use screen.....remove a piece after a week....and so on
if you raise the light higher....lower it some each week......
You have to give the stuff time to get use to it
 
wilioli

wilioli

Member
hmmm... ive been doing some more research -- ur right, i was mistaken about the one week only.. at least 2-4 weeks.. thanks meowzer and acrylic -- but decrease light time? This won't mess up the light schedule/biological clocks the corals and fish already are set on? i have lights on 10-12 hours a day -- shortening it won't affect anything?
 
nikesb

nikesb

Active Member
dont worry about shortening the light. aim for 4 hours and 3 screens. remove a screen every 10 days. increase light time by 30 mins every week. one thing i DONT recommend during this time is changing your carbon. this will greatly increase the light and should be saved for another time
 
wilioli

wilioli

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by nikeSB http:///forum/thread/381932/metal-halide-light-acclimation#post_3330349
dont worry about shortening the light. aim for 4 hours and 3 screens. remove a screen every 10 days. increase light time by 30 mins every week. one thing i DONT recommend during this time is changing your carbon. this will greatly increase the light and should be saved for another time
sorry could u explain that to me? don't change the carbon cause it'll increase light?
 
nikesb

nikesb

Active Member
changing carbon clears up your water. think of it as a polisher. changing your carbon and putting stronger lights is intesifying the lights even more
 
wilioli

wilioli

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by nikeSB http:///forum/thread/381932/metal-halide-light-acclimation#post_3330354
changing carbon clears up your water. think of it as a polisher. changing your carbon and putting stronger lights is intesifying the lights even more
wow... I had no idea it had that much of an affect on lighting.. yea I knew carbon clearing up the water -- but to intensify light to a degree where it would affect acclimation.. good to know! -- so maybe carbon not being there at all is a good thing.. If im to acclimate for 3-4 weeks.. I mean changing carbon should be done at least once a month -- arguable even less than that... thanks again
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top