how to acclimate to new lights

kware · 05/08/2008, 07:25 AM

I'm swiching my lighting from a pc 4 X 65 watt bulb fixture to a 2 X 250 watt hqi metal halide with 4 X 65 watt actinics (the 48 inch light from aqua traders) What should I do to acclimate my tank. I have a green brain on the bottom some mushrooms also on the bottom with some polyps in the middle? I've heard of using screens but I don't know for how long to use them for. Also how long should I keep the new lights on for. Anything would be great.
thanks

DevilBoy · 05/08/2008, 08:21 AM

remove one layer of screen per week, and cut your photo period down and gradually increase it back up

msteele · 05/08/2008, 04:53 PM

If you do a bit of aquascaping to cut the light for the corals they'll be a lot happier during the acclimation procedure. You are more than doubling your lighting so do the acclimatization over a fairly long period.

downhillbiker · 05/08/2008, 06:05 PM

I have that same light and LOVE IT!!! people bash it all the time, but it is killer. the 760w right?

all of my corals went into light shock and bleached out and had tissue loss. i had to move them down in the tank to the bottom and cut the photoperiod back to 5 hrs a day and have bumped up 1 hr per 2-3 weeks. now i am at 7 and have stayed there for a couple months. everything came back and colored up better than it was before.

here are a couple pics:

dying corals:

corals now:

drewp808 · 05/14/2008, 03:48 AM

sorry this has nothing to do with your question but, how was aqua traders, good bad? anyone? was going to buy a light from there just wanted to know if they're legit

baitshopboy · 05/14/2008, 05:25 AM

I would start off with running just 2 of the actinics and one MH for a while. Then after a few weeks to a month turn on the other two actinics. Then after another few weeks to a month turn on the other MH.

05/08/2008, 07:25 AM	#1
kware Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: upstate ny Posts: 645	how to acclimate to new lights I'm swiching my lighting from a pc 4 X 65 watt bulb fixture to a 2 X 250 watt hqi metal halide with 4 X 65 watt actinics (the 48 inch light from aqua traders) What should I do to acclimate my tank. I have a green brain on the bottom some mushrooms also on the bottom with some polyps in the middle? I've heard of using screens but I don't know for how long to use them for. Also how long should I keep the new lights on for. Anything would be great. thanks

05/08/2008, 06:05 PM	#4
downhillbiker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 2,831	I have that same light and LOVE IT!!! people bash it all the time, but it is killer. the 760w right? all of my corals went into light shock and bleached out and had tissue loss. i had to move them down in the tank to the bottom and cut the photoperiod back to 5 hrs a day and have bumped up 1 hr per 2-3 weeks. now i am at 7 and have stayed there for a couple months. everything came back and colored up better than it was before. here are a couple pics: dying corals: corals now: __________________ The friendliest GIANT you'll ever meet. Current Tank Info: 200g Marineland Deep Dimension (Lumenmax Reflectors/Dual PFO 400w/Radium 20K) and 2xFrag Tanks (One TEK T5 fixture and one MH, Galaxy/Phoenix) on same system w/100g sump w/6"x100g DSB, AquaC EV-1000 Skimmer, Reeflo Barracuda return pump

05/08/2008, 08:21 AM	#2
DevilBoy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Wooster, Ohio Posts: 1,724	remove one layer of screen per week, and cut your photo period down and gradually increase it back up

05/08/2008, 04:53 PM	#3
msteele Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 49	If you do a bit of aquascaping to cut the light for the corals they'll be a lot happier during the acclimation procedure. You are more than doubling your lighting so do the acclimatization over a fairly long period.

05/14/2008, 03:48 AM	#5
drewp808 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: HONOLULU Posts: 143	sorry this has nothing to do with your question but, how was aqua traders, good bad? anyone? was going to buy a light from there just wanted to know if they're legit

05/14/2008, 05:25 AM	#6
baitshopboy Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: In a van down by the river, IL Posts: 189	I would start off with running just 2 of the actinics and one MH for a while. Then after a few weeks to a month turn on the other two actinics. Then after another few weeks to a month turn on the other MH.