kessil ap700 acclimation of corals

[CTaylor]

Hi,
I have a fairly new ap700 on my fairly new tank :-D. I jumped the gun as far not waiting many months, and already have a few sps in my tank (after 2 months after the nitrogen cycle). Everything tests good, I'll detail that more after.

I have a 48x24x22 high tank. I have the AP700 and a kessil A360 on either side of it (I already had those from my last tank, and was going to just get another, but Drs had ap for $200 off, so....). I read most of the Kessil thread, and 'knew' to start off at about 35% intensity. But what I couldnt determine was where reefers were putting their acros and other sps vertically in the tank. On the bottom, middle, top (during this initial acclimation of the light up first using).

I finally pulled out my par meter, and at 100% power, all lights on, putting out max par color (seems mid blue) I get about 250 par on the sand. The sand is 2" above the bottom, the water is 1" below the top of tank, so top of sand = 19", lights 6" above the water level. This is near the lower 'sweet spot' for acros from what I know. My sps (two acros and a birdsnest) are about 4" above the bottom. So they are not getting much more light than the sand bed.

I ramped up my lighting from 35% to 45%. But this is still putting the par in the area where the SPS are at below 200. **So when people are acclimating their lights on first set up, are they putting their light loving corals near the top or at least mid level and higher?

Because looking back at mine it looks like Im doing a 'double acclimation': low light + low level on the tank water column. What spurred me to test the PAR etc is that I notice my birdnest today is slowly thinning out in polyps, like a bleach, more like a death. It's in random spots, but those spots not affected have nice PE. And I know it's getting less than 200 par at 45% . Maybe 175? I havent tested yet, will on Thursday, but i know it's well below 200 at 45%.

My alk also rose 1 dkH over the last 5 days also from 10 to 11. I rather it 9-10, closer to 10.

Thanks!

 

[RobZilla04]

Two options for acclimation.

First place the coral where you want to leave them and start with low light intensity. From there gradually increase intensity over time.

Second (more typical when adding corals over time) place the new coral low in the DT and slowly raise over time. Eventually ending up where it will be left. This option also gives you the opportunity to evaluate the coral for appearance based on flow in addition to light.

My experience with birds nest, they like med flow and med light.

Alk will only rise if you are dosing or adding a pH buffer.

 

[ktownhero]

I put my corals where they should be and leave them there. Light acclimation only seems to cause more problems than it solves, especially if you are dimming the light fixture itself since you are then affecting every other coral in the tank. I have the same dimensions as you and I put my SPS corals with the exception of 1 monti cap, in the top 3rd of the tank. My AP700 runs at 70% for 8 hours a day with 2xT5s for 4 hours a day. I have a couple types of birdsnest, two acros and several varieties of montipora that all are happy and growing well.

 

[CTaylor]

Rob and KT,
I agree with both of you, totally makes sense.So when you get a new coral, you put it on the bottom, or lower down than where it would be in the end, or even in the 'shade' if you need, then acclimate that one coral from there (?). < makes sense, I've been double acclimating = too low of light.
I upped my % to 55, and will rather quickly go to 60/65, since these are all 1/4-1/3 up from the bottom anyhow. they are getting about 250 now peak par I think, (from my meter i'm trying to get accurate #'s on). But afer just the one day, I'm pretty sure my bnest at least 50% recovered. I also am slowly brining down the alk from 11 to 10 tho' also.
KT, I also been reading your posts on the Kessil forum, and appreciate your input there also.

 

[Reefpuck]

I don't like messing with my light settings, so I just put the frag plugs on a frag magnet rack that is in the back corner of my tank. Move it up a bit over a few days then put it where I want in my tank.