upgraded my lights and got burned
- Thread starter M peacock
- Start date
zapata41
In Memoriam
bleached means that there is still tissue on the coral just has no color to it. dead is dead. if they are bleached then you can do the window screen thing to acclimate them and then just wait it out. some of the corals i ahve took less than two weeks to recover from the new lights, but i do still have one that hasnst recovered, the top of it is bleached and the rest is great.
just have to coverthe top with screen and slowly remove it, then just wait it out
Tim
just have to coverthe top with screen and slowly remove it, then just wait it out
Tim
janakaybravo
New member
Would the same problem happen when getting new bulbs, 250w metal halide lamps, with the same everything else? Would I need to also screen new bulbs?
I would screen the new bulbs for one week, minimum.
It really all depends on how old the bulbs are that you are replacing.
It really all depends on how old the bulbs are that you are replacing.
sales weasel
New member
Dual 250w MH is a lot for a 55g. I started my 55g tank with a 260w pc fixture with LPS and soft corals. I did a lot of research and found that dual 175w was what most recommended for a 55g. I bought that setup and still never used them. I felt the heat coming off some MH in a LFS and turned to T5. However, the T5s still get pretty warm and were super bright. I noticed within a day that my LPS and soft corals were not expanding. I added fluorescent light diffuser (eggcrate) to the top and three layers of fiberglass window screen to acclimate them. I removed one layer every two days and now everything is good. I now have SPS in that tank as well.
You could try the window screen trick and/or raise the height of your lights. Also, try running them for a shorter period and since you have two, you could alternate them. I start with my actinics only for one hour. Then the 6500 and 11000k lights come on. At 4:45, I go back to actinic only until 7pm. BTW, how is the water temp?
You could try the window screen trick and/or raise the height of your lights. Also, try running them for a shorter period and since you have two, you could alternate them. I start with my actinics only for one hour. Then the 6500 and 11000k lights come on. At 4:45, I go back to actinic only until 7pm. BTW, how is the water temp?
I know its sorta overkill but i was so frusturated when i never had enough light to keep things that i wanted in my tank. i wanted to be able to move to sps when i feel ready for them. i did mount the lights at just over 14 inches above the water to start with and i seem to like the look in the tank. i also run two 96 watt actinic 03 for an hour and a half before and after halides. i used only one fan in the hood to begin with. temperature holds at about 81.
joedirt54
New member
250w 10k mh is a ****load of PAR on a 55 gal...A 1/4" glass cover would have done the trick, it's the uv that's the problem. Corals can get a sun burn just like we do, most glass filters UV. I think you can cut the par in half with a glass top. Egg creat and window screens would have done the trick too.
will putting a glass cover over the water effect the temp any more? its so nice to open the canopy doors and have access to the water is why i didnt have anything. yesterday i putt screening over to help acclimate the rest of tank. what about long term effects of light? will things be ok once acclimated or do you always have to protect from uv. maybe i better get a glass cover?
Blown 346
Active member
I disagree, I had 500 watts of PC lighting over my 75 gallon, and after I upgrade to 2 250 watt halides I acclimated the corals with the photo time period.
I did 2 hours the first day, and every day after that I added 30 minutes to it, until I got my full 10 hours in.
I have softies, frogspawn, bubble, hammer, zoos, shrooms etc and they all did great. I didnt lose anything.
thats interesting. i didnt start out with that much light before i upgraded so maybe it was a little severe. i started at like 3 hours the first 3 days. quickly backed off when i seen what was happening. im hoping things will turnaround 4 me. sorta disapointing. i waited so long to finally upgrde to halides and built a nice canopy and for the lack of knowedge i lost 3 really nice corals that thrived for almost two years with low, low light. live and learn.
Blown 346
Active member
The main problem that probably did them in was having the old lighting for so long without replacing the bulbs. AWith PC's they loose alot of there intensity and penetration witin 6 months and should be replaced.
Once you let it go, any lighting upgrade, even replacing the old PC's with new ones would have probably done it.
Once you let it go, any lighting upgrade, even replacing the old PC's with new ones would have probably done it.
Blown 346
Active member
If the corals you purchase come from a tank with equal or close to with lighitng conditions, you wont have a problem.
If you have some corals that dont need as much light I would start them off at the very bottom of the tank and slowly move them up over a course of a few weeks until they are placed where they do best.
If you have some corals that dont need as much light I would start them off at the very bottom of the tank and slowly move them up over a course of a few weeks until they are placed where they do best.
TimFountain
New member
Re: upgraded my lights and got burned
Did the temps change with such as massisve change in lighting?
Did the temps change with such as massisve change in lighting?
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