new lights

Snappy · #1 06-24-2005, 11:53 PM

I just upgraded my lighting from PC to M/H and am wondering how I should phase in the extra illumination so things don't overdose on the extra lighting.
Cut back hours? Cycle between the mh and actinics?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

AJ_77 · #2 06-25-2005, 03:36 AM

I used the "one hour on, one hour off" timing, then worked up in 15-min intervals over 10 days until full-on. This caused a fair bit of bulb aging that I didn't anticipate - all the extra on-off cycles.

Others have used layers of screening over the tank, removing them one by one until all gone. Can you adjust for height with the new fixture? That would be another option, or to use in combination.

Invigor · #3 06-25-2005, 03:38 AM

i just let em have it. they adjusted themselves over a few days

BCWolfen · #4 06-25-2005, 04:13 AM

I started with a 3 hour MH (still leaving my PC's on 8:30am to 10pm)
Then I added 1 hour every 2 days until I had my desired length of time for my MH's.

Everyone seems very happy

Snappy · #5 06-25-2005, 07:33 PM

I am assuming that since each of you have a different opinion on this matter that there is no actual "text book" answer. I do however value and appreciate your input. An interesting side note is although I know the M/H are brighter it doesn't really seem like it to my eye. However since the change my RBTA is now bubbling again so there must be quite a difference. I guess I can now start adding in some acropora corals to the reef.
Thanks.

monza · #6 06-26-2005, 06:51 AM

I think BCWolfen pegged the idea of the standard way to increase lighting. Any thing along that simular time frame works. Just keep increasing the time period they are on over a period of a week or so.
Dave

Johnny Reefer · #7 06-26-2005, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monza

I think BCWolfen pegged the idea of the standard way to increase lighting. Any thing along that simular time frame works. Just keep increasing the time period they are on over a period of a week or so.
Dave

Ya. I think so too. Leave your actinics on as you normally would and that's good advice to increase the MHs by 1 hour every two days.

StirCrazy · #8 06-26-2005, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Reefer

Quote:

Originally Posted by monza

I think BCWolfen pegged the idea of the standard way to increase lighting. Any thing along that simular time frame works. Just keep increasing the time period they are on over a period of a week or so.
Dave

Ya. I think so too. Leave your actinic on as you normally would and that's good advice to increase the MHs by 1 hour every two days.

nope good Way to lead to bleaching if you are stepping your lights up enuf.

there are 2 ways to do it, recommended by most big names and this is using a screening in several layers (about 10) and removing a layer every couple days or there is the increasing interval, which is good for people who can use screens due to the layout of the tank / cabinet or what ever. so start 1 hour on then 1 hour off and do this for the normal photo period so 10 to 12 hours a day, after 3 or 4 days increase it to 1.24 hour on .75 hour off for another 3 or 4 days, then 1.5 hours on 0.5 hour off for 3 or 4 days then 1.75 hour on .24 off for 3 or 4 days then full on, the problem with this is you do need a digital timer to pull it off. if you are going from good PC's to say 175's or what ever for the most part you should be able to get away with the switch, but if you were going from PC's to 250HQI's or 400s and even some normal 250 watt setups then I suggest one of the methods.

as for bulb life not going to make a difference we will see as we throw out our bulbs be for there life is even close to being used up anyways.

Steve

Johnny Reefer · #9 06-26-2005, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

nope good Way to lead to bleaching if you are stepping your lights up enuf.

there are 2 ways to do it, recommended by most big names and this is using a screening in several layers (about 10) and removing a layer every couple days or there is the increasing interval, which is good for people who can use screens due to the layout of the tank / cabinet or what ever. so start 1 hour on then 1 hour off and do this for the normal photo period so 10 to 12 hours a day, after 3 or 4 days increase it to 1.24 hour on .75 hour off for another 3 or 4 days, then 1.5 hours on 0.5 hour off for 3 or 4 days then 1.75 hour on .24 off for 3 or 4 days then full on, the problem with this is you do need a digital timer to pull it off. if you are going from good PC's to say 175's or what ever for the most part you should be able to get away with the switch, but if you were going from PC's to 250HQI's or 400s and even some normal 250 watt setups then I suggest one of the methods.

Hmm. All sounds pretty complicated, plus you'd have to stay home all day long if you didn't use the digital timer, which would be a PITA to set anyway. Not to say these methods wouldn't work, but I think I'll stand by the "1 hour every two days" theory.
Actually, I just upgraded from PC to MH recently, too. (Before Snappy started this thread). To be honest, I didn't think to follow much of any regimen at all.

(Kudos to Snappy for being conscientious). I pretty much ran the new MHs right from the get go, with a few "overcast" days per week where they were left off all day and just ran the actinics on those days. All my corals seem happy and have actually shown signs of improvement with the new lights. No bleaching has occured. My Trachyphyllia sp. didn't like it at first, but it was directly under one of the new MH bulbs so I just moved it down to the substrate and off to the side some and now it's doing very well. My Plerogyra sinuosa also appeared to be unhappy after awhile as it too was directly under one of the new MH bulbs. Again, moving the coral has resulted in improvement. And my Pachyclavularia sp. is starting to display a deeper and more vibrant green colour. All in all, all my corals are doing better since the MH upgrade. As for following a regimen, I've learned a lesson and won't be so non-chalant about it next time, when I replace the MH bulbs in two years. But I think that increasing the exposure by 1 hour every two days is sufficient and one does not have to be anymore complicated than that.

Cheers,

SeaHorse_Fanatic · #10 06-26-2005, 06:13 PM

I have to also admit that I just switched my hex tank from having 3 65wPC & 2 T5s straight over to one 175w MH & the 2 T5 (actinic & 20000k). My corals seem to have adjusted themselves, although I went from a 12 hour photoperiod to an 8 hour one for the MH. My bulb is an older one so it's lost some of its intensity. Next month (hopefully), all my corals & clams will be under a full MH/actinic system when we move & I get to turn my 100g FOWLR into a 100g reef/seahorse ranch

Anthony