Retiring 5+ year old Radions for ATI dimmable 8x 54W dimmable fixture

[Koigula]

I am retiring a 5+ year old 4 foot T5 hybrid / 3 x Radion fixture for an ATI dimmable 8x54w fixture with bulbs burned in 100 hrs. Bulb section is standard (4) Blue Plus (2) actinic (2) Aqua blue or coral plus to preference. I honestly do not care about shimmer and never got results I did in past with Ecotechs. Application needed more diffusion by raising and or buying more parts as a diffuser plates to make more like T5's. The Radion controller was a white hockey puck from hell.

How many months would you expect for corals to acclimate to this new set up?

I am setting at 9" at 90% output giving an even distribution with some light spill. Coverage is far far better averaging 200 par on bottom and 350 par near top. Coverage was less uniform with Ecotechs with more depth perceived with shadowing. A grandmother said it likes I took down a christmas tree and put some sunshine over the tank. She is 90 and does not lie.

 

[PeterC99]

How closely does the new par setup match the old par setup?

 

[Pntbll687]

If the par is close to what you were using, I would imagine the coral won't miss a beat.

I would monitor your alk consumption pretty close for the first couple days/weeks. This will tell you if the corals like the change or not.

You might get some shifts in colors in the coral from the change in spectrum, but that will probably take a few months to see.

 

[rtparty]

Go slow. Than go slower than you think. Your corals aren't used to getting that much quality light wrapped around them.

Definitely watch parameters closely for the time being

 

[Koigula]

Sounds like good advice. Bottom of tank is 150 par with shadowing. Two channels are dimmable so I can even leave one channel

 

[Bj’s Reef]

I’m thinking of going with the same fixture for a new build I’m working on. So I’m curious as to how this turns out for you. I’m thinking of putting it over a 48x30x24 150 gallon tank.

 

[Bpb]

I’ll never say going slow is bad, but I’ll wager your corals will respond favorably immediately, especially if you’re matching intensively relatively closely in the same areas. I don’t know that I’d personally even reduce my photoperiod if I wasn’t going up in intensity.

 

[A. grandis]

I am retiring a 5+ year old 4 foot T5 hybrid / 3 x Radion fixture for an ATI dimmable 8x54w fixture with bulbs burned in 100 hrs. Bulb section is standard (4) Blue Plus (2) actinic (2) Aqua blue or coral plus to preference. I honestly do not care about shimmer and never got results I did in past with Ecotechs. Application needed more diffusion by raising and or buying more parts as a diffuser plates to make more like T5's. The Radion controller was a white hockey puck from hell.

How many months would you expect for corals to acclimate to this new set up?

I am setting at 9" at 90% output giving an even distribution with some light spill. Coverage is far far better averaging 200 par on bottom and 350 par near top. Coverage was less uniform with Ecotechs with more depth perceived with shadowing. A grandmother said it likes I took down a christmas tree and put some sunshine over the tank. She is 90 and does not lie.

T5s are the easiest of all light to adapt. Keep in mind that those tubes have amazing reflectors around them though and you should go relatively slow and watch, specially with brand new bulbs. Just bring the photoperiod to 4 to 5 hours a day and add 30 minutes every 2 days until you get to hours you wish. 9 hours/day is a great start for a good plan.

"A grandmother said it likes I took down a christmas tree and put some sunshine over the tank. She is 90 and does not lie."
This is actually one of the suggestions I gave in my interview, recently. LOL!
The kids and grandmas will tell you the truth!!!! LOL!!!!!
Christmas lights vs sunshine! Ha!
Thanks very much for sharing!!