Acclimating for new lights

[roshi719]

So I installed my new lights over my display today and .......

WOW!!!!!!!
:nosebleed_002::dribble:


I have a 75 gal display. I Used to have a 48" hamilton hood with 2 x 250 watt SE XM 20K. I upgraded to 2 x lumenbright reflectors with coralvue 250 W dimmable ballasts and 20K reeflux bulbs. Reflectors are mounted 15" off the water.

Now this is no change in wattage, but turned out to be a HUGE increase in par (God I love good reflectors!!). To give you guys a refference point, here are some par numbers (Old / New): Millie colony (120 / 475), sandbed (50-60 / 165-180)

I am currently only going to fire the new lights for 1 hour per day and slowly ramp it up. Question I pose to all of you is how slowly should I increase the photoperiod, and should I add some shade cloth as well? My display is almost strictly SPS coral and I really don't want to lose any pieces!!

Thanks in advance for any help!!

 

[roshi719]

nobody???

 

[Troylee]

Put like 3 layers of eggcrate over the tank and remove one each week and you should be good...

 

[Blackhawk Fan]

Sorry Morgan, I didn't see this post.


I would definitely cut the photoperiod in half and increase it as you see things getting comfortable. The other option would be to add sheets of screening and remove a sheet every few days.

 

[roshi719]

Alright I will tart ramping up the photoperiod starting next week then.

 

[JNye]

do you have a par meter? cutting the photoperiod makes no sense to me, never has. if you have a meter simply turn the ballast down to pre-reflector par numbers, once you get the par down slowly ramp it up over a couple weeks. if you don't have a meter just turn it all the way down an shade it with one sheet of something and remove after a week. I have the same set-up and par meter, turned all the way down its pretty poor par.

 

[Alpha Aquaculture]

Whatup! I would use shade cloth or eggcrate (I actually use a plastic screen zip tied to eggcrate) with multiple layers for frequent remove a layer at a time. Seems most logical to keep your photoperiod the same but use as many screens as you need to get your par level to old light levels. The more the better. Simply remove a layer every so often. The speed you remove them and the number of them are related to the exact type of screen you use and they health/look of your corals as well as your par levels.

Also I like JNye's advice about the dimmable ballasts, just dim them and increase power slowly, maybe use some screens if needed as well

hth good luck!

 

[Lazys Coral House]

dimmable ballasts

Keep your photoperiod the same just dim the lights. Perhaps adding 50-75 par per week.

 

[LegoZ81]

I agree keep the same photo period and dim the lights to match par. is the spread the same? I would slowly (depending of how little you can change them) bring them up day by day over a 2-3 weeks till you are at 100% you can't increase the light too slowly if they were successful with the original lighting.

 

[mfinn]

I like the method of putting 3-4 layers of window screen over the tank. I use egg crate to support the window screen so it doesn't sag into the water.
By removing a layer of window screen every 4 days, you can leave your lights on for the full light cycle and enjoy the tank at the same time you are acclimating the corals to the new lights