MH acclimation advice

[clintrandall]

I'd like some acclimation advice. I'm adding an additional 250W of 14k MH today (replacing 96W PC). I've read about steady acclimation times in addition to screens. What would you recommend? Should I just crank the other one up for maybe an hour a day and slowly increase it over a few weeks? Most of the advice I've read is about going from no MH to MH.

Thanks,
Clint

[dgin]

Clint,
When I changed over from 2x96w PCs to 250 MHs, I had an open canopy so I just had them up higher and slowly lowered them over several weeks. Didn't have any problems with the corals adjusting.

[clintrandall]

That's not a bad idea. It would be a bit blinding in the house though! I could drape a sheet or something over it.

[aztbs]

I switched from 2x96 PC's to 2x175 MH on my 55 over a year ago. I used the short time technique, starting with 1 hour and adding an hour and a half each week. I still ended up "burning" a few mushrooms and some button polyps even though they were on the bottom of the tank. They didn't die, but after all this time, they never recovered right.
Since you are just adding MH, the corals should be used to the more direct light. But I would recommend using the screens. Set a couple layers under the new bulb and ramp up to the new light one layer at a time. I kind of see it as spending an hour outside in the sun or 3 hours. If you sunburn in 15 minutes, it really doesn't matter. :)
Hope it goes well for you.