HELP!!!! Metal Halide Coral Help

[Swirlygig]

I installed 3X250W metal halides on wed...

As of today my corals are bleaching and my frogspawn has skin peeling off the shaft...not all the coral is reacting this way, just SPS and that one LPS...Everything else looks happy IE Zoas and LPS...

I switched from VHO...

I am really kind of worried, because the coral that is bleaching isn't cheap...

Has anyone had a similar issue?

Day1: ran VHO 11hrs and Metal halides 3hrs
Day2: Vho 11hrs + 4hrs MH
Day3: Vho 11hrs + 3hrs MH
Day4 (today): just running VHO, kuz I don't know what to do...

My friend Davy said to run the MH for 1hr a day for a week...Any ideas....please help...I don't mind a bit of bleaching, but I don't want to nuke the coral...Is this normal?

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[skinnyjoe1976]

hey jeff have you checked any of the water parameters? second thing is what color is the halides? what is the temp running? and what kind of themometer are you using?. last one are the de of mogul

 

[Pacific Reefs]

250w MH is a big light upgrade from VHO (especially if the VHO bulbs are older). As you know the light of the MH is a lot more focused and intense. So you want to move the affected coral away from the main areas of light. I would also try the 1hr for a week idea for now. Did you check the water temp? I am thinking that the heat from the MH may have also caused a temp swing. When you say you are running VHO w/ MH is that just actinic VHO? I had a similar problem when I changed to 10K from 14K. I just ran it for 2hrs day for a week and then went up an hour per week.

 

[Mache62]

I recently switched my lights up to a stronger metal halide (more par) and ran 3 layers of screen across the top of the tank to protect the corals from bleaching. I have taken off 2 layers in the last 3 weeks and plan on leaving the last layer on until I get back from MACNA.

 

[skinnyjoe1976]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13258574#post13258574 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mache62
I recently switched my lights up to a stronger metal halide (more par) and ran 3 layers of screen across the top of the tank to protect the corals from bleaching. I have taken off 2 layers in the last 3 weeks and plan on leaving the last layer on until I get back from MACNA.

now that is one hell of an idea. that's what makes these's forum great

 

[Swirlygig]

I have a fan running so that tank has been the same basically...I had 760W of VHO and now it is a big light increase...750W MH + 320W actinic VHO...looks like 10k to me but is said to be 15k...real white light blue color...The temp is the same as usual I keep my tank 80...82 MAXXXXX I have a float thermometer...just ordered digital...

 

[skinnyjoe1976]

and the nitrates?

 

[skinnyjoe1976]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13259968#post13259968 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Swirlygig
I have a fan running so that tank has been the same basically...I had 760W of VHO and now it is a big light increase...750W MH + 320W actinic VHO...looks like 10k to me but is said to be 15k...real white light blue color...The temp is the same as usual I keep my tank 80...82 MAXXXXX I have a float thermometer...just ordered digital...

and your saying by adding the halides you temp has not changed using only a fan?

 

[hexedagain]

Are these double ended bulbs?
Do you have any glass between the bulb and water?

 

[Swirlygig]

yup...my temp is the same...8" fan above the sump...blowing down...without it 82...

I had 6 VHO bulbs in my canopy before...they made it pretty warm...yes these are hotter, but more focused...does that make sense?

The temp is good....

I have Mogul, SE bulbs...

 

[Swirlygig]

I use a denitrator...nitrates close to zero..

 

[Swirlygig]

These changes did not occur till I changed the bulbs...That i am sure!

My calcium and mag were really high, cuz I went on vac and had a standard dose to give my roomie, but they were slowly increased

They have always run high in my tank though...hrm

MG 1650
CA 580

I wonder if the lighting really magnified the effects of the MG and CA...

 

[skinnyjoe1976]

well the reason i was asking all the questions were the corals should have retracted before they started to loose the tissue. when the temp or nitrates go up (personal experience) they will repaily rtn on you. that's one of the reasons i was using a denitrater also. did you check the nitrates or are you assuming that using it kept your nitrates down? just wondering if the bacteria went south on you.

 

[Jcoe30]

You might want to try to bring your tank up to the new lights slowly. When I installed my 250's I had to let them only burn for a couple hours a day and I slowly bumped up the time at about a half hour a day until i reached my my photo period but I let my vho's run for the full time.