Need help with MH!

[kaserpick]

Hi, I'm switching from 160w PC to 150w 14k HQI, and I have two questions.

1. What's the best way to acclimate corals to this lighting?

2. If my tank is 12" tall, then what height should I keep the light at?

Thanks!

 

[demon16v]

1. You can use fiberglass screening
2. It depends. What are you keeping in the tank, is the tank glass or acrylic? I would start at 7” to 8” off the top of the water.

Jon

 

[kaserpick]

I'm keeping LPS and softies like shrooms, polyps, euphilia type LPS, trumpets/candycanes, xenias, rics, and toadstool (not fiji). I want to keep a clam though as well someday. I just thought adding an MH would help make things grow even faster. Thanks for the help.

 

[Xandernfs]

Well if ur hanging it, you could start of by hanging it high and lowering it every couple of days.

If you were mounting it, then i'd use screens. This is what i did on my 20H with my sunpod

 

[kaserpick]

I'll probably hang it I think. I'd like that better. Thanks for the idea! Would 250w be too much for a tank like mine that's 12" tall with mostly softies and LPS?

 

[Xandernfs]

Yea, i'd stick with the 150.....you could even do SPS with that

 

[besl]

Also start the photoperiod small and gradually over a 2 - 4 week period extend it to where you want it. Depending on your softies and lps, you may need to put screening over the tank to cut down on light and/or put the more sensitive corals under LR ledges and cliffs. I have a favia under 150 w and I needed to put under the shade of a rock as it started to bleech out. You can definitely grow sps under those lights if you want.

 

[kaserpick]

Awesome, thanks for the help guys!