Lighting question

[Susan Edwards]

I am upping my lights on my 220 up to 20k. 4 Red Sea 160s. I was at 75/11. Have some higher end acros coming and have slowly been raising lights over the last almost 2 weeks. Currently at 90/40. Aim to go 100/50 to reach what Red Sea program says is 20K.

My question is, should I do the rest before my frags arrive on Thursday (100/50) or wait a couple week after the frags arrive to reach the 20K. I plan to put them--7 acros, a cyphastrea and a porite where they need to go on advice of person I purchased from and not start low. Except the cyphastrea and porite can start lower.

From my research of each type of acro, all need high light and high flow except 1 can be a bit lower

So far, my current corals are loving the extra light and even a lobo on the bottom that was pretty much dead is making a comeback. When I used my apex par to measure lighting, par was very low , esp down low but even some of the high points were lower than I thought. Haven't remeasured since raising.

So, raise to 100/50 now or wait. BTW I sure love having more white light for viewing!

 

[MnFish1]

Whenever you add coral - it's probably best to lower your light intensity - and use (if your lights have it) - the coral acclimation setting - I assume your Redsea lights have this. UNLESS - you can get a very accurate answer from the person you're buying the coral from - as to the PAR/type of lighting they were under while under their care - and try to match that. Lowering the intensity should not hurt your existing corals. Hope this helps

 

[Susan Edwards]

Whenever you add coral - it's probably best to lower your light intensity - and use (if your lights have it) - the coral acclimation setting - I assume your Redsea lights have this. UNLESS - you can get a very accurate answer from the person you're buying the coral from - as to the PAR/type of lighting they were under while under their care - and try to match that. Lowering the intensity should not hurt your existing corals. Hope this helps

thanks. He said to put them where they are to go. I'm also double checking with him.

 

[MnFish1]

thanks. He said to put them where they are to go. I'm also double checking with him.

My guess is he was referring to the old adage of starting the coral at the bottom and moving them upwards at intervals. Which to me never quite made sense.

 

[Susan Edwards]

My guess is he was referring to the old adage of starting the coral at the bottom and moving them upwards at intervals. Which to me never quite made sense.

I've never had good luck doing this. I sent a pic of the rock for some of them and he suggested just placing them in their permanent homes. My lighting was lower (but I did mention I was upping them). I'm guessing I'll hold at 90/40 until after I receive the frags. Will also try to measure par again this week.