Acclimating tank to new T5 bulbs

[Bill Nye]

I have a 50 gallon breeder that I was using with a nanobox quad. My tank just got restarted after a crash so I have some SPS frags, some zoa frags and a small BTA. About a week ago my Nanobox Quad died and I need to send it back to Nanobox to get it fixed so I put my ATI 6 Bulb sunpower back over the tank.

The bulbs from the sunpower were over a year old and I had the fixture about 6 inches above the tank. I just replaced all 6 bulbs on the Sunpower but am worried about bleaching the frags. I have the light hung 11 inches over the tank with the first set of two bulbs on for 9 hours and the whole fixture on for 4 hours. Is this too conservative or can I get away with lowering the fixture more?

 

[mcgyvr]

I had no problems personally going from LED (2 x Ocean Revive S026) to an ATI 6 bulb T5 (24" fixture).. I just fired it up and away I went.. Its about 6 inches off the water on a 40b with SPS/LPS/Softies..

 

[solitude127]

I don't think so. I've never seen SPS RTN or bleach because too little light but I have seen them RTN or bleach because of too much light.

 

[Potatohead]

Just lower it an inch every three days over the next couple weeks or whatever. I have an eight bulb over my tank and I have it around 12". I have had it lower but I didn't notice much difference in the corals so I moved it back up a bit.

 

[jda]

I always just do it and don't sweat it. However, going slow never hurt anybody.

 

[brownsps]

It doesn't hurt to know what the par was before and after either. I generally try to match intensity. If your corals are healthy they should be fine.........unless you double or triple the intensity : ) good luck!