New Light Problem

[gio28]

so recently i replaced my 130watt PC fixture with my new 150watt MH. my sebae anemone started to shrivel up the past few days and will kinda close up into a ball. i think its because of the light change. my PC fixture was a few inches off the water and my new MH fixture is 10inches off the water. i think the distance actually makes the PAR from my MH weaker than the PC fixture since the distance is so different. now im concerned that my nem wont make it.
also...im planning on getting 2 T5HOs to supplement the MH. one is a ULV super actinic which has the most PAR for a true actinic bulb and the other will be a KZ fiji purple bulb. hopefully these will raise my PAR enough to keep the anemone as well as LPS and SPS corals. any ideas?

 

[gregzbobo]

Just guessing here, but I'm assuming the PC lights had some age to them, which means they probably shifted in spectrum, and replacing them with the MH fixture the spectrum is back where it needs to be but it happened too suddenly. I would think you're on the right track keeping the MH a ways above the tank, but you might try dropping it back down a few inches and shortening the length of time its turned on. Gradually raise the on-time over a period of a week or two, and see if that helps.
As for the T-5's, same principle, maybe run just one tube for a length of time throughout the day for a few weeks, then activate the other one so all 3 lights are on, gradually increasing the on-time of the T-5s till they are on for the time you need them. I'm not all that knowledgable on PAR, but maybe whats in this post can help you out.

 

[nigerbang]

Quite the reverse.. Even at 10" the MH is still going to push more PAR into the water.. You have light shocked the tank....

 

[gregzbobo]

Originally Posted by NigerBang
http:///forum/post/3126987
Quite the reverse.. Even at 10" the MH is still going to push more PAR into the water.. You have light shocked the tank....
Ooops, disregard what I said about lowering the MH closer then, I hope the rest of what I said still applies though.

 

[nigerbang]

You can take a few layers of window screen and stack them and cover the tank to kinda act as a shade and remove a layer once a week until you are back at normal to help light acclimate everything..

 

[gio28]

sweet thanks for the help. i think i did shock the anemone

. my light is easily adjustable though so i'll raise it up and experiment. it tentacles are really thin, is that too much or too little light?

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by gio28
http:///forum/post/3127034
sweet thanks for the help. i think i did shock the anemone

. my light is easily adjustable though so i'll raise it up and experiment. it tentacles are really thin, is that too much or too little light?
It's like coming out of a cave and into the sunlight. It's a bit uncomfortable for a while.
Since you're able to raise the light, do so. Then lower it a little bit every day.