12 hour metal halide photo period too much????

[braeden.cyra]

Hi everyone,

I have a 250 watt metal halide over my 22 gallon cube, (I know it is quite large) It has a Giesemann 14500K bulb in it and my sps seem to be quite faded compared to most tanks I see on reef central. Also the small amount of coraline algae I have is really light purple and it isn't that deep purple you see in most tanks. And it only grows in darker areas in my tank. I feed a little bit of coral frenzy each day along with selcon concentrate, brine shrimp, krill and mysis. I only have 3 fish and I don't feed that much. Could it be too little feeding and too much light or what?

Anything will be helpful.

Thanks!

 

[robs.mark]

How far from the surface is the light? It should be 12-14"
12 hours is far too long imo, mine are on for 6.5 hours in a 24 hour period. If your wanting a longer viewing period why not consider some suppliment lighting? I use aqua ray 600s in blue and the ank looks amazing under them..

 

[braeden.cyra]

How far from the surface is the light? It should be 12-14"
12 hours is far too long imo, mine are on for 6.5 hours in a 24 hour period. If your wanting a longer viewing period why not consider some suppliment lighting? I use aqua ray 600s in blue and the ank looks amazing under them..

The light is 12 inches away from the surface of the water. Does reducing the photoperiod by an hour each week until I get to like 8 hours per day sound fine. Or can I just reduce it to 8 or 9 right away?

 

[braeden.cyra]

Also, my nutrients are very low because I have a large skimmer and a deep sand bed with chaeto in the sump. Should I not skim for a while and see how the corals do?

 

[dan-in-gr]

Sounds like you are hitting two areas that will lower color and growth and make them pale. Your lighting should be 5.5 to 7.5 hours for mH, depending on supplemental light and other factors. Your system with cheato and large skimmer is probably making it a nutrient poor system, try removing the cheato.

What is the fish load and what do you feed.

 

[hypnoj]

Save yourself some energy and get a 150w over that tank. 250 watts is a lot for that small of a tank. I have a single 175w over my 80g sps tank; with success. Regardless, I agree with the above post. I'd head toward around 6 or 7 hours per day.

 

[braeden.cyra]

Sounds like you are hitting two areas that will lower color and growth and make them pale. Your lighting should be 5.5 to 7.5 hours for mH, depending on supplemental light and other factors. Your system with cheato and large skimmer is probably making it a nutrient poor system, try removing the cheato.

What is the fish load and what do you feed.

Oh ok

My fish list is:

- 1 True Percula Clownfish
- 2 Bangaii Cardinals

Feeding:

- Frozen Krill, Brine Shrimp, Mysis Shrimp
- Coral Frenzy
- NLS pellets
- 0.75mL of Selcon Concentrate

I feed this 2 times per day

 

[braeden.cyra]

Save yourself some energy and get a 150w over that tank. 250 watts is a lot for that small of a tank. I have a single 175w over my 80g sps tank; with success. Regardless, I agree with the above post. I'd head toward around 6 or 7 hours per day.

Well I think I am going to stick to the 250 because I don't want to spend any more money but I will slowly reduce the photoperiod to 7 hours if everyone is saying this is a good idea. The only thing is I don't have any supplemental lighting. I don't have the setup to have supplemental lighting so I may just have to get a 20000k bulb. Would that be a good idea?

 

[RKLion]

Don't remove chaeto if anything feed more. Twelve hours is too much and your corals are faded cause they are slightly bleaching. Reduce your photoperiod with the halide to 9 or so hours and add some supplemental actinic lighting for twelve hours so you still can enjoy your tank.

 

[RKLion]

You can get small led mini lights for supplementation they would fit into just about anything or spotlights like kessils....

 

[braeden.cyra]

Don't remove chaeto if anything feed more. Twelve hours is too much and your corals are faded cause they are slightly bleaching. Reduce your photoperiod with the halide to 9 or so hours and add some supplemental actinic lighting for twelve hours so you still can enjoy your tank.

Can I immediately change the photo period that drastically or should I reduce it by an hour per week?

 

[oscar.millan]

I run my lights for 6 hours. I would cut back about 2 hours a week. I went from 10 to 8 to 6 in two weeks without any issues.

Good luck.

 

[braeden.cyra]

I run my lights for 6 hours. I would cut back about 2 hours a week. I went from 10 to 8 to 6 in two weeks without any issues.

Good luck.

Ok thanks for the advice.

 

[RKLion]

Ya you won't see problems going down in photoperiod. I would reduce it right away to 8-9 hours