What's the least amount of time sps can have and survive ?

[BrentH]

I recently upgraded my lights from from 250 watt 14k to 400 watt radium 20k with a lumatek ballast anyway I cut my light cycle from 7 hours to 4 and I'm a little concerned its not enough for te corals to be happy or is it to much?

 

[jerpa]

They will survive fine. I'd extend the photoperiod one hour a week as long as nothing looked stressed.

 

[BrentH]

Thank u I had it at 5 hours originAlly and fries a colony kinda sucks its started bleaching from center I moved it down to the shade not sure if it will recover

 

[biggles]

I would suggest you raise the light rather than reduce the photoperiod Brent, if things are stressing at 4-5 hours it is too much too quickly. Gradually increasing the intensity by lowering a light is much safer than the reduced time method - been there and learned the hard way.....

 

[BrentH]

Damn I wish I could but I have a canopy ....

 

[BrentH]

I mean I'm only seeing one out of like 30 pieces that have been affected so far I live the look of the radium and the lower levels are now lite up and more vibrant.... I just am super paranoid on nuking my tank .... Thanks guys and biggles thanks again u have been helping

 

[biggles]

I've seen friends use outdoor shade cloth to accomplish the same thing when they didn't have the option of raising the lights. If not just drop the light time back further to say, 2 hours a day and start increasing the photo period slowly again.

Edit: If it's only one you're golden Brent

 

[BrentH]

Here's a older pic of tank for fun
Nevermind ill do it from home later

 

[phenom5]

I you can't raise the light you could use pieces of screen (from window screens). I've done this to acclimate corals to new lighting in the past. I started out with 4 pieces, and removed a piece of screen every week.

 

[BrentH]

Old pic

 

[biggles]

Just saw your old tank pic Brent, that's quite the SPS reef you have going on there - looks great :thumbsup: