Proper Way to Replace T5 Bulbs

[michfish5]

I just got replacement bulbs for my 4 bulb AquaticLife T5 fixture. The new bulbs are all ATI. I have been having some problems with a few of my LPS corals (not opening as much and some tissue recession) and someone suggested it might be the lighting. My original AquaticLife bulbs were 7 months old so I thought I would give it a shot. I didn't really like the way the stock bulbs made the tank look anyway.

What is the proper way to swap in these bulbs to acclimate the coral to the new lighting? Do you replace all the bulbs and reduce the photoperiod by half and then add time back slowly? And if so, how slowly? Or is it better to replace one bulb each week and leave the photoperiod as is? My previous schedule was a Purple/a Blue bulbs running for 10 hours and a 10K/2nd Blue bulb running for 6 hours.

I replaced ALL the bulbs last night and figured I would reduce my photoperiod by half to start. When the Blue Plus bulbs came on this morning it was like switching from an old VHS tape to HD. When the Coral Plus kicked on, I could not believe how "sharp" everything looked. I was amazed. And then I got scared about bleaching my corals. I will say that after a few hours under the new lighting, it was like adding Miracle Grow to a garden. The problematic corals started expanding and looking better than they had in a couple of weeks.

So what is the right way to replace all the bulbs in a T5 fixture?

 

[Froggy]

On my 8 bulb T5 I have had good success with changing two bulbs at a time every third day. I have not seen any adverse reaction with the corals and did not change the normal lighting schedule or fixture height during bulb changes.
I have heard others reduce the photoperiod or raise the fixture higher as a precaution but I have not personally found this necessary with my tank and fixture. On a 4 bulb unit I would just change 1 bulb, wait a couple of days, and change the 2nd and so on. Watch your corals for a negative reaction and they will tell you if you are going too fast.
Joe

 

[rtparty]

Joe nailed it. A bulb every two days is pretty safe.

 

[michfish5]

Awesome! I was so excited by my problem corals' response that I was hoping I wouldn't have to wait a month to get all the new bulbs in. Guess I will start putting three of the old ones back in. Thanks!

 

[pgammon]

You can also cover your tank with several layers of window screen and remove one a week. I think I read four layers somewhere.

 

[rtparty]

Awesome! I was so excited by my problem corals' response that I was hoping I wouldn't have to wait a month to get all the new bulbs in. Guess I will start putting three of the old ones back in. Thanks!

Just leave them in and watch your corals. If things seem stressed, then change your photo period even more.

 

[reefndude]

I just changed bulbs and did nothing else. I didn't know better the first time I did that. No ill effects though.