Lighting change, 1 question

[TOURKID]

I changed from 130 watt pc to 250 watt mh. I am using 5 screens to acclimate, and i had the light 8 inches from the water
After 2 hours everything started to look pretty bad.

I turned the light off and raised it to 14 inches. I took the Pc's completely off
I ran the pc's 12 hours a day (1 white, 1 antinic)

question... since its looking like im only going to be able to run the mh for 2 or 3 hours a day at first.. should i use the pc's for the rest of the 12 hours? or just turn the mh off and give the tank house light for the rest of the time

tia

Im stressing on this.. most sensative thing in the tank is an anemone, bta

 

[artful-dodger]

Well, anybody who had a plan would have started with the MH lights...oh, sorry, different thread.

If you can fit both over the tank, I'd do that and run the PCs as you always have until corals and anemone recover (hope!) Then, I'd raise the MH as high as you can and start them on short cycles (maybe 15 minutes a few times a day) and gradually increase. The shock of increasing the light intensity by probably 10x can be fatal--severe sunburn can destroy the tissue and zooanthelle algae.

 

[TOURKID]

everything recovered after i turned the lights out. i was keeping a watchful eye

so would 15 minutes a few times a day be beter than, 1 hour at noon day one, then 1 hr 15 minutes day 2 and so on?

 

[artful-dodger]

I'd say to observe the animals to see how they are reacting. If 15 minutes doesn't shock them, then try 20 and then 30, etc.. You should acclimate them to the much brighter light over a couple of weeks. (Just like the people who head to the beach after a winter indoors...they need to adapt just as we do or else get burned. Rubbing them down in Coppertone probably wouldn't be good idea, though )

 

[TOURKID]

no sun screen? I guess ill stick to window screen lol

so at noon, i took off the pcs and turned on the pendent. been 1 1/2 hours, everything is fine.. but it does have egg crate 5 screens and its 2 feet above the water. gonna go 30 minutes more at least. then put pcs back on.

I have no problem being home to do this, but i have 2 weeks to stop switching to pcs.. ill be out of town and have a sitter who sleeps late.

so hopefully in a two week period i can get it to full 10 hours mh, with window screens and crate, and when i get back start removing the screens

nothing ever is so easy tho lol

 

[artful-dodger]

I'd say if you aren't up to 10 hours not to sweat it. Don't push it...keep the lights at whatever photoperiod you have safely adapted them to. They'll get plenty of light while you're gone and reduce the risk of something going seriously wrong while you're gone.

 

[TOURKID]

hey artful... hoping you can lend me some insight... because this is just easier than I thought, or im screwing up

As above, lights 14 inches above water, top is covered with eggcrate and 4 sheets of screen. started acclimating to 250 watt mh for 2 hours first day.

Well im on the fourth day.. on the first two days the bta was folding itself like it does when its nighttime. on the third day, I was courious and I took the screens off. The bta responded and opened up real full, like it was enjoying the light. I dident want to burn anything, so I put two of the 4 screens back on, and pulled it to 3 hours.

Today I started off with two screens and Im almost to 4 hours right now and nothing at all is reacting baddly. actually my bta has bubbles today whitch doesent happen to often.

U think all the screens and everything was taking away to much light? Am I moving to fast? im at 4 hrs with two screens and Im betting I could go longer, but I want to wait for some advice.

Thanks for reading

Maggie

 

[artful-dodger]

boy, I wish somebody would chime in who had done a similar upgrade to comment on how long the acclimation took.

it sounds to me like all is going well and that you should continue adding time or removing a screen each day and keep the light up high until complete. then start moving the light down a little each day until you're fully converted. (remember that going from 14" to 7" will quadruple the amount of light hitting the surface)

Congrats! Your first post was kind of scary but it seems like everybody is doing great now!

I'd say that whatever level you are at when you go on vacation should be maintained for the time you are away and then start intensifying again. I'm sure the level time and intensity for awhile will only help

 

[TOURKID]

everythings still good. infact, i came in the door today and my friend go's.. 'whats wrong with the anemone? its huge and all spread out. well i tell you what, shes bigger and more beautiful than ever! Im keeping the two screns till im up to ten hours, then ill remove one after a week, then the other after 2 weeks, everything permitting.

still donno what im gonna do when i have to go. If i still have to switch out to the pcs and back agian.. i may just leave the pc's till im back and see what i can do. Im at 4 1/2 hours and i have 11 days left, so i think ill be able to pull it off

 

[artful-dodger]

I think you're home free...just using the MHs and forgetting the PCs looks very doable.

 

[TOURKID]

not gonna take the chance. anemone is finally sticking to one spot, and i think she lost a lil color since i got her. sure looks happy when i remove all the screens tho. wish i had a veteran marine friend right now lol