RBTA Shrinking Under Too Much Light?

[killagoby]

Here's my tank parameters:

70 Gallons
PH 8.2
SG 1.023
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
Phosphates 0
Temp 80

The tank has been up and running for 5 years

I recently switched to an AI Hydra 26 HD. I was running the lights at 18k and 80%. I switched to 100% the other day and I noticed when the lights come on the RBTA totally shrivels up and the mouth opens expelling zoolanthe. At night with 5% blue on the nem looks normal. Fully inflated and healthy looking. The anemone is aprox 22" from the light.

Here's my question. The only thing I changed was the intensity of the light from 80% to 100%. Could this change cause the nem to shrivel up and release zoolanthe?

 

[vhuang168]

What light did you have before?

 

[killagoby]

Razor 420 but it was 5 years old. It had lost its usable light spectrum IMO. The nem wasn't growing or coloring up IMO. The nem has only been in the tank about a month

The good news is I just dialed the lights down to 60%. The mouth is now closed and he is re-inflating. I think I solved the problem, but I'd still like to know what output people are using for RBTA or even LPS corals because they are probably close to needing the light output of the RBTA

 

[nemmy]

Depends on how high the light is and how deep the coral/anemone are. You could always relocate him since LED is point source lighting and you probably have low par zones on the sides.

I have two hydras in a 40B running 80% blue 40% white, UV, and violet, and 25% green and red. Almost directly off the water line. Its a light nuker but my magnifica loves it.

AI controllers usually have an acclimation mode that you could use as well. Say set the settings I listed as your max and then tell it how long you want it to take to get there. So it will cut the percentages by 30% and take 30 days to get to max giving 1% extra every day etc.

 

[killagoby]

I turned it down to 80% and he's doing great. 100% was way too much intensity