Almost ready to go

[hank]

By tomorrow I hope to have my new lights hung. I have a 72g bow front that previously had 2-65W 10000k and 2-65W actinics. The new lights are 2 pendants each has 1-150W MH and 2-32W dual actinics (Current SunDial). How should I go about doing acclimation process. The tank has a few corals: mushrooms, Pipe Organ,Bubble,Brain, Colt, leather, and a brain.

[charlie]

By tomorrow I hope to have my new lights hung. I have a 72g bow front that previously had 2-65W 10000k and 2-65W actinics. The new lights are 2 pendants each has 1-150W MH and 2-32W dual actinics (Current SunDial). How should I go about doing acclimation process. The tank has a few corals: mushrooms, Pipe Organ,Bubble,Brain, Colt, leather, and a brain.

If it was me, I would leave the actinics on something like a 12 hour photoperiod, and start with the halides on a 4-6 hour time. Then weekly, add time on to each end of the halide photoperiod until you get them to 8-10 hours per day. Sound feasible? JMHO

[hank]

OK. So with the halides, just gradually increase the time. Should I make any adjustments to distance from water? Or with 150's is that a non issue?

[charlie]

You can do it either way. I don't usually mess with the distance, just the time. If at any time you notice something different going on with the corals, maybe try moving them up or down too. PCs to halides is gonna make quite a difference for you and your corals, keep a close eye on them.

[hank]

Thanks for the input.

[charlie]

You are welcome. Why don't you give us some before and after pics when you get the lites up and running.

[Ninong]

By tomorrow I hope to have my new lights hung. I have a 72g bow front that previously had 2-65W 10000k and 2-65W actinics. The new lights are 2 pendants each has 1-150W MH and 2-32W dual actinics (Current SunDial). How should I go about doing acclimation process. The tank has a few corals: mushrooms, Pipe Organ,Bubble,Brain, Colt, leather, and a brain.

Here is the goal: To start out with exactly the same amount of total illumination as you had previously and then gradually increase it.

Here is the ideal way to do that: You measure your current lighting intensity using either a luxmeter or a PAR meter. Then you match that with your new lighting by adjusting the distance of the light fixture above the water's surface.

For example, my 250w 10,000K HQI metal halide lamps measured 150,000 lux 6" beneath the lamp, 50,000 lux at the water's surface 11" beneath the lamp, 23,500 lux 4" below the surface, 8,500 lux 22" below the surface, etc. You really only need one or two measurements -- the reading at the water's surface and the reading 6" below the surface would be plenty.

Now what you want to do with your new pendants is match the exact same reading by adjusting the distance of the new lights above the water. If your old lights measured 10,000 lux at the water's surface, you need to raise your new lights to whatever height it takes to get a reading of 10,000 lux at the water's surface. Once that is achieved, you then run the new lights on exactly the same photoperiod as the old lights, gradually lowering the distance between the light fixtures and the water's surface over the next three weeks until the lights are where you want them to remain.

That's the ideal way to do it. Most people don't have easily adjustable steel suspension cables like you do, so they adjust the photoperiod instead. If their old lights produced a reading of 10,000 lux at the water's surface and the new lights measure 20,000 lux at the water's surface, they simply cut the photoperiod in half and then gradually increase it over the next three weeks. What they are doing is matching the total amount of irradiation received on a daily basis between the old lights and the new lights and then gradually increasing that daily total by gradually increasing the photoperiod. That's a poor substitute for matching the intensity and then gradually increasing the intensity while keeping the photoperiod the same as it was before.

So, whenever it's possible to adjust the distance of the lights above the water to match the previous lights' intensity, that's the best way to go. When that's not possible, reduce the daily photoperiod and then gradually increase it.

If you don't have a luxmeter (or PAR meter), then you have to visually estimate how high the new lights need to be to match the intensity of light striking the corals so that it starts out the same as the old lights.