New Halide Lights Arrive Today, questions please

[DLANDINO]

My new lights arrive today. I went with the following setup.

36IN SUNPOD, 2X150W 14000K POWERPAQ HQI LAMP & LUNAR LIGHTS

I am upgrading from 2 96w 10000k power compacts.

What should I do prior to installing the new lights? For coral, I currently have 2 Ricordea, 1 zoanthid colony, kenya tree corals, lps favia brain coral. All of which are closer to the top to make the best of the pc lighting.

I guess I am going to have to move them all lower for a few days, cut my on time from 9 hrs to 5 hrs to start and then increase slowly? Anything else? Thanks all.

Dave

 

[asm481]

Get several layers of window screen (fiberglass) and lay them across tank, remove one layer of screen each week. That is major light change. I use egg crate to support the screen.

 

[Eklikewhoa]

I would move all those corals to the bottom of the tank, photo-period of 4-5hrs for the first week and add an hour every week after.

 

[downhillbiker]

i agree with eklikewhoa. move them all into the sandbed and start your photoperiod at 4 hours. a week later 5. and then add an hour every 2 weeks from there. once you are up to 8 hours move the corals up to where you want them in steps. about 6" of height a week.

 

[DLANDINO]

thanks everyone. I am worried that I wont have enough sand bed space. What am I risking if I can't get them that low. Is it bleaching or can it we worse?

 

[downhillbiker]

bleaching and then RTN. mine lost a fair amount of tissue. they are better now, color wise, but still havent grown back all the tissue yet.

here's some pics of where they went in 2 weeks being too high in the tank:

When i first got them:

After 2 weeks of TOO much light:

NOW:

And that is after 2 months of being in the sand bed. if i had put them in the sand first i could've saved a lot of heartache.

 

[DLANDINO]

Wow, thanks those are great pictures. I will be certain to make the space on the sanbed.

Dave

 

[downhillbiker]

yes i would highly recommend it. and start with a low photoperiod and crank it up an hour every couple weeks. it is worth taking your time. i still am at 7 hours and dont even know if i will go to 8. probably will, but not for a little longer.

 

[DLANDINO]

light Delivery Update

light Delivery Update

Looks like I will have some time to move my corals. My $500.00 light fixture was supposedly delivered yesterday. But when I got home it was no where to be found. So, I called UPS who tells me that I have to call the shipper to initiate a "tracer". I called Marine Depot, they called UPS and now there is an investigation started to find the light. The driver claims that it was "delivered to the front door" but who's? Not mine! We live in the middle of the woods, very secluded with no neighbors around so it is hard to mistake our house, nor are there any people around to know that there is a package to steal. UPS tells me that it will be about 8 days for the investigation, then Marine Depot will replace the light, I hope that is. And then I will have to wait another 10 days on top of that for the new light to be delivered. I am sure that you all know how exciting it is to get a new piece of equipment, especially a light upgrade and fell my disappointment and aggravation. Thanks agian for all of the tips. I will be sure to employ them at some point in time.

Dave