Acclimation to MH's

[syaeger]

I purchased the Odyssea 175W double ended HQI 20000K & two 18W compact fluorescent bulb actinic blue lights. Presently I have a quad 96W PC unit running on my 20 G Nano. I've read some articles saying that I should place my corals lower in the tank when I use the new lights, so they don't get burned. And then place the corals in their normal position after a few days.

Is this necessary? Or should I just go ahead and use the new lights and hope for the best?

I'd appreciate any comments.

Thanks!

[impur]

I just went from the 96w PC to 250w MH 14k. I started with the light about 16" from the water. Should have gone higher. My GSP has bleached, lost an acro frag, and my monti cap has now bleached. These were all up on rocks. The stuff on the sandbed has done wonderfully, not a problem whatsoever. Even looks better than under the PC.

Another way to acclimate is using window screen. Use 5-8 layers over the tank and remove one every few days.

[skipm]

Another thing you can do is to shorten your photo period and then gradually work your way back to your normal lighting schedule. I would definately also raise the lights and slowly lower them at the same time though. Good luck, Skip
PS What are you planning on doing with the PCs?

[syaeger]

Would it work on having the lights the normal schedule and starting with 2 hours and increasing by 1 hour each day until I reach the normal exposure period?

P.S. I'm planning on using the lights on another tank.

[skipm]

I would allow at least 2 or 3 days between the lighting increases. Like I previously posted you should also raise the lighting a bit higher than normal too, after you reach your normal photoperiod you could begin lowering the lights to their final height. Skip

[Joey French]

The best thing to do is use window screen. Start out with a few pieces, and after a time, 3 days or so, take a layer off. Then wait another three days, week, whatever, then take another piece off. Do it slowly and you will have no problems.

[Jimsmowen]

Hmm that does make sense but then it doesnt... What about when you buy corals from the LFS and you bring them home and put them under this completely different lighting?? Aren't you just doing the same thing??

[Ebisan]

I have the same fixture over my 30g. I used eggcrate and created about 4 layers. By shifting the layers I could increase/decrease the light. All my fish would hide near the back under the PH because it was too bright for them (they used to be under PC 130W). I was kind of impatient and only acclimated them this way for a couple of days. Then I removed all the eggcrate. Fish hid for a couple of days until they got used to it. My mushrooms didn't open as much. But everything else, Xenia, Frogspawn, torch, zoos, didn't mind at all.

[lgoins]

I didn't think a 175 double ended bulb existed?

[Ebisan]

Originally posted by lgoins
I didn't think a 175 double ended bulb existed?

Yep, they don't. They are overdriving 150W DE bulbs. I checked the ballast and it's an M132 which is designed for SE 175W bulbs. But it works and I'm not complaining. I just need to replace the bulb sooner.

[onthefly]

I'm not a big fan about changing the photoperiod......then you're hitting your corals with 2 stressors.