A few lighting questions.

[Angler02]

As of now I run 6-65 watt PCs on a 75 gallon tank. The bulbs consist of 2-10k 2-50/50 and 2 Actinic. I will be getting 2 Reef Optix 3 Plus HQI Reflectors (150W), Blue Wave VII MH Ballast, dual 150W HQI, and two Ushio 150W 20K Double Ended Bulbs this week. All of my corals are thriving at this point and I want to make sure that I do this transition the right way. My plans as of now are to have the fixtures 12" from the top of the water, move some of my polyps other softies to the bottom, and decrease the photo period to lighting the tank only 6-8 hours a day. Does anyone have any input as to what I have planned so far is the proper way of doing it? If I need to do something different please let me know, I would hate to loose any corals. I can already tell I'm gonna be an SPS junkie, I went to the frag swap today and bought 3 frags and I don't even have the light yet.

 

[saltyshoe_nano]

...see how they do and if they arent doin to good ask someone to babysit.... new lighting sounds good tho

 

[Angler02]

Nano I would do that but I have about 15 corals in my tank and I don't want to move them all. Has anyone had experience with doing a swap like this?

 

[Angler02]

I guess no one in this club runs MH on their tank. I will be the first. YAY!!!

 

[JxMetal]

just do short time increases. first day 2 hours then 3 then 4 then 5 then 6 then 7 then 8. that's how i'd do it. if you have unatached corals just sit them on the bottom half of the tank.

 

[Angler02]

Should mount the lights at 12 inches off the water. If so would I ever move them closer to the water?

 

[kraash]

I have also heard of people using layers of black window screen, and over a course of a few weeks, removing a layer at a time. You could use this with the combo of a slowly increased lighting period just to be safe.

 

[chadfarmer]

with the lights your getting you should be fine

why not move them up to 24 inch and move them down every few days

window screen is a very common idea I see a lot but never used it