acclimating to new bulbs

[digidana]

well, we finally got new bulbs put in last nite, and WOW, what a difference!

what i'm wondering is, can i just keep them on for less hours a day to start? for the last month or so, i had increase the light time in the tank from about 10am til about 8-9pm hoping that it would make it easier when the new bulbs came.

and i've started growing a crop of cyano and a couple spots of hair algae. will the new lights kill it off? (i hope i hope!)

 

[ct_vol]

Most people will drop their photoperiod from 8 to 4 hrs and then increase the time an hour a week if they are worried about intensity... Depending upon your setup, you can also use screens or light diffusers... Another option is to raise the lamps up a ways... Those are the 3 most popular ways to deal with increased light intensity...

 

[fishdoc11]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14318987#post14318987 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ct_vol
Most people will drop their photoperiod from 8 to 4 hrs and then increase the time an hour a week

That's what I always do.

 

[digidana]

thanks!

 

[digidana]

will the cyano and hair algae disappear now with the new lights?

 

[fishdoc11]

Probably not. Cyano and hair algae are usually due to phosphates in the water.

 

[digidana]

but i'm reading zero...i always do. is there anything else?

 

[ct_vol]

What are you using to measure? Have you checked your RO/DI for TDS???

 

[digidana]

i have 2 phosphate tests, one cheapy, one salifert. i haven't check the tds from the rodi in a while, but i haven't had it that long and it was clean last time i checked.

 

[Runner]

I had some screens I used to use for my 75G with MH lights. I would put three or four of them on top of the taken and take one off every other day. That way I didn't have to mess with my timer. Of course, the shorter photo-period could be easier for some.