Switched from 400W to 250W halides...coooool. How do you break in new 250s?

[Reefer Rob]

I mean way cooler. It looks like my chiller is only going to run in the summer now.

3 years of running 400W halides... 3 years of wondering why anyone would use halides instead of T5s.

I hope my corals like the 250s as much as I do

Now with 400s I had to be real careful breaking in new bulbs, or I'd cook my corals (acros too). I'd start off with 6 hours for the first week, and slowly work up. Raising the lights isn't an option.

How much does everyone cut back (if at all) their 250W halides with new bulbs?

I would suspect the same way I don't use MH but I have looked into some a couple of times. We will see how deep this new tank is IT's a 110g getting it used, I have only seen it once awhile back don't realy recall how deep it is. I'm going to tag along just incase.

Bill

[StirCrazy]

I never cut back at all when switching bulbs, but if your not sure you could da shorter time, or on/off routeen. its not to break in your bulbs but rather to get your corals used to the new lights.

Steve

[whatcaneyedo]

Glad to hear you finally came around Rob. Its easier for me to raise my lights so I'll generally hoist them up a foot and then gradually lower them an inch every other day until they are back to where they were.