LED to T5 Acclimation

Reefdom

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Hi, i have searched far and wide and found varying levels of answer to my question.

I currently picked up an ATI 8x39w T5 Dimmable for my tank.

I am coming from 2xAI Primes which i ran at almost max, however over a 3x2 shallow tank they were arguaby under powered.

I now have a lot of power in the T5 but i am struggling to find a starting point so i dont hurt my tank.

Its running 6 bulbs al on channel two as i need to buy 2 more bulbs for the other channel

Many have said start low and work up, but what is low. I have struggled to find a reference point of comparison to what i have moved from.
Then others have said T5s are much for forgiving and due to the spread and diffused nature of the light corals can take a lot more par from T5 than LED and just "put the lights on".
But then i have more light hitting parts of corals that have less light previously.

I have them on now for 10hrs (same as the LEDs were running) with an hour ramp each way at 40% but unsure is this is low enough or too low.

Looking for any advice based on experience.

Thanks guys.
 

AdamB

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I am not for sure. I do not like assuming with the money we have invested in our corals . I went from t5’s to leds .
I guess it depends what you had your led strings on before as well but like all of this I would be careful. I don’t know what height you have t5s but maybe elevate them higher and then lower them slowly while checking on your coral. You could also diffuse the light with egg crate or screening?
Look forward to see what the consensus is .
 

Ron Reefman

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The amount of light just is NOT that important in the short run. Your 40% is a good starting point. Now, pay attention to the corals and slowly, over the next few weeks, ramp up the percentage.

A PAR meter is the easiest way to set the power levels. Borrow one from a fellow club member, ask the LFS if they have one you can barrow or rent, and you can find them for rent online.

Otherwise, try the 'canary in a coalmine' approach. Get a small frag of a red cap monti and set it in your tank higher than all the other corals. When you raise the light intensity too high, the red cap will start to bleach before any other corals. At that point, dial the power back a bit (5% to 10%) and you should be good to go.
 
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Reefdom

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The par meter thing is a no go. I’ve trued many times before across my locality with no success.

They do t seem to be as available in the Uk

The watch the corals piece is what I’m currently doing any if anything they are darkening but I’m waiting it out a few more days. Before changing anything.
 

A. grandis

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No need PAR meter at all. Increase 10% starting from the 40% you have ON now every 3 days until 100%.
No need dimmer at all. Use 100% of all channels ON/OFF. You can have 2 bulbs coming for dusk during the first and last hour every day if you want, but keep them on 100% at all times. Pretend there is no dimming choices.
Dimming the bulbs will shorten it's life and is totally unnecessary.
The only good thing about dimming fixture IMO is the one cord deal!
You will be fine!

Edit: I would avoid purple bulbs and give priority to 4 Blue Plus 2 Coral Plus and 2 True Actinic, or similar combo.
 
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Reefdom

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I have 2 more bulbs on order so will be running the 2 bulbs on channel 1 all day and the other 6 at 100% starting at a couple of hours a day until I hit 8.

The plan was to get to 100% but I was using the dimming feature to acclimate (I used older bulbs from a friend only for this reason.

Thanks for the advice
 

A. grandis

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I have 2 more bulbs on order so will be running the 2 bulbs on channel 1 all day and the other 6 at 100% starting at a couple of hours a day until I hit 8.

The plan was to get to 100% but I was using the dimming feature to acclimate (I used older bulbs from a friend only for this reason.

Thanks for the advice
You're very welcome! Enjoy!
 

Waters

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I actually just did the same thing...added an ATI 4 bulb fixture to my existing two Radion XR30 Pros. I just decreased the intensity of the Radions from 50 to 30. The extra PAR from the T5s didn't seem to have any negative effect on my SPS like an increase of PAR from LEDs would have caused (checked with a PAR meter.....overall PAR increased by about 100)
 
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Reefdom

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Ive Read the same; corals can take much more par from t5s than led, however it’s a fair jump from 2x primes to an 8 bulb ati t5 so was being a little cautious
 

ScottR

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Hi, i have searched far and wide and found varying levels of answer to my question.

I currently picked up an ATI 8x39w T5 Dimmable for my tank.

I am coming from 2xAI Primes which i ran at almost max, however over a 3x2 shallow tank they were arguaby under powered.

I now have a lot of power in the T5 but i am struggling to find a starting point so i dont hurt my tank.

Its running 6 bulbs al on channel two as i need to buy 2 more bulbs for the other channel

Many have said start low and work up, but what is low. I have struggled to find a reference point of comparison to what i have moved from.
Then others have said T5s are much for forgiving and due to the spread and diffused nature of the light corals can take a lot more par from T5 than LED and just "put the lights on".
But then i have more light hitting parts of corals that have less light previously.

I have them on now for 10hrs (same as the LEDs were running) with an hour ramp each way at 40% but unsure is this is low enough or too low.

Looking for any advice based on experience.

Thanks guys.
What’s the size and volume of tank? Mixed reef? I run 2 T5 and an LED. I threw two bulbs on the T5 after running only LED previously. I feel that T5’s can be added quite safely. Putting 2 ATI bulbs in just seemed to make everything happier within a matter of days. I’d be more worried going backwards, adding an LED running at high levels to a T5 only tank.
 
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Reefdom

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300l, about 180l in display 3x2 shallow.

I’ve seen loads of info about people adding t5s to led but most are already running fairly strong leds and then they are adding 2 or 4 t5s so not ex’s try comparable. Although good lights, the primes are not comparable to radions or hydras.

Par from prime on max, 280 ish,

Par from 8 bulb ati 600+ according to BRS. And then factor the t5 has that across the tank, not just under the puck and you can see my concern.

either way, I think advice given is great, I will be watching the corals closely
 

blstravler

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I’m in the same boat. Left LED and went to an ATI Sunpower 6 bulb 48in Fixture. Think I had all 6 bulbs on for too long as I was seeing some bleaching of colors - I now do a ramp up of 2 bulbs on - then 4 bulbs - then all 6 and reverse back down to 2. Hoping this reduces the stress on the corals. PAR values with all 6 on pushes 400 so that may have been a little to much for some of my corals. How has your transition gone so far?
 
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Reefdom

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It’s ok so far. I’m on 2 bulbs 10-8 and all 8 now 6 hours as of yesterday. Nothing appears to be bleaching even though some of my acros and birds nest are getting over 500 par and the sandbed with acans, Duncan and hammer is probably over 250 as it’s a shallow tank.

I am getting algae and an odd type of drown dusting but I’m not fussed with this as I’m getting over cyano and just starting tropic Marin Bacto Balance so my nutrient reduction capacity is not up to speed. Will keep 6 hours all bulbs until Sunday and if all is well, go 7 hours from Monday and start using the dimming as the bulbs will be burnt in.
 

blstravler

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I’m not the OP but I can say that my move from LED to T5 has gone very well. I think it took everything a couple weeks to adjust to the new light - but since then my growth has visibly accelerated. I’ve seen this in not only coral growth but in my uptake in ALK, Ca and Mag. I had to up the output on my CalRx and I haven’t added any new corals. I did notice a little more algae growth on my sand but it’s not concerning and has since started to disappear on its own.
 

Chefwheredyougo

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I’m not the OP but I can say that my move from LED to T5 has gone very well. I think it took everything a couple weeks to adjust to the new light - but since then my growth has visibly accelerated. I’ve seen this in not only coral growth but in my uptake in ALK, Ca and Mag. I had to up the output on my CalRx and I haven’t added any new corals. I did notice a little more algae growth on my sand but it’s not concerning and has since started to disappear on its own.
I've got a local reefer bringing me a T5 4 bulb fixture today to trade for a bta clone. I broke my CBB last week so had to use the old current usa to get by, any advice on acclimating to the change in par? Also bulb recommendations for a 4 bulb?
 

blstravler

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I have a 6 bulb ATI unit the first day I did only 2 bulbs for 8 hours. Next day I did the same but for 3 of the eight hours I switched to just 4 bulbs on - did this for two days. Then I did 2 bulbs for 2 hours 4 bulbs for 2 hours then all 6 for one hour then down to 4 then 2 bulbs. I slowly over about two weeks got to my current program-

- 2 bulbs 30 min
- 4 bulbs 1 hr
- 6 bulbs 8 hr
- 4 bulbs 30 min
- 2 bulbs I hr

I run 4 blue plus, 1 actinic and 1 purple plus. The 2 bulbs I star and end with are blue plus so I get the nice color pop. I also just added a Reef Brite Lumi Lite Pro Plus that comes on 30 min before the above schedule and stays on the whole time and ends 30 mins after the above schedule.

I did rent a PAR meter and had to raise the T5 fixture up as the par was too high for my liking.

From a growth perspective I will also say my corals are all growing much thicker then they were prior.

Hope this helps!
 

Chefwheredyougo

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I have a 6 bulb ATI unit the first day I did only 2 bulbs for 8 hours. Next day I did the same but for 3 of the eight hours I switched to just 4 bulbs on - did this for two days. Then I did 2 bulbs for 2 hours 4 bulbs for 2 hours then all 6 for one hour then down to 4 then 2 bulbs. I slowly over about two weeks got to my current program-

- 2 bulbs 30 min
- 4 bulbs 1 hr
- 6 bulbs 8 hr
- 4 bulbs 30 min
- 2 bulbs I hr

I run 4 blue plus, 1 actinic and 1 purple plus. The 2 bulbs I star and end with are blue plus so I get the nice color pop. I also just added a Reef Brite Lumi Lite Pro Plus that comes on 30 min before the above schedule and stays on the whole time and ends 30 mins after the above schedule.

I did rent a PAR meter and had to raise the T5 fixture up as the par was too high for my liking.

From a growth perspective I will also say my corals are all growing much thicker then they were prior.

Hope this helps!
Thanks for that! Would you recommend 2 blue + 1superactinic and 1 purple for a 4 bulb? What's the difference in those and coral +?
 

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