Moving from 146W T5 to 346W Metal Halide/T5

[arash53]

Hi Guys,

I replaced my light system from 146W T5 to 346W Metal Halide/T5 :

1x 250W DE HQI Bulb 15000K
4x 24W T5 High Output Bulb Actinic Blue
4x Dual Bluemoon LED

I wonder if this plan works and it wont damage to my corals :

T5 from 9am to 10pm (like before)
HQI start from 5pm to 6pm and increase 15min everyday (final plan 2pm to 8pm)
Moon lights 10pm - 9am

Thanks

[arash53]

I'll appreciate any help and advice on this I am so nerves

[Vitaminz]

IMHO I would keep the schedule you have posted for everything, except the MH. My suggestion would be for the first week, only to have them on for an hour, and increase inclemently each week. This is just to get the corals use to the increase in light over a period of time. Also watch for temp changes in your water, that will be a good indication in your lighting period for the MH, or might need to explore a chiller, or just raise the light up a bit. Also with the lighting change, you want to make sure you don't get a an algae outbreak. Again that is just my 2 cents worth, I am sure there will be others to chime in.

Jeff

[arash53]

Thanks Jeff, you mean increase 1 hours each week till I get to 6 hours ?

[Vitaminz]

Yuppers, you could even go at 2hour intervals for 3 weeks. But you will have to watch your corals to ensure they don't start melting or burning.

Jeff

[arash53]

Today was the first day of MH , it was on for an hour , wow my corals loved it specially my RBTA , only some mushrooms on the top squished a little bit.
Heat did not increased at all (my tank is running pretty hot in summer about 84 in the afternoon and 82 in the night and morning) , so far I really like this fixture

[viperfish]

If your temp is between 82 and 84 you had better get some fans blowing on that thing or you'll roast the tank when your halides are running for 6 hours!

[arash53]

Yes thats exactly what I do , A double fan blowing when the MH is ON thats why when the MH was on today the temperature didn't change.

but I am not sure if I run MH for 6hours the fan is good enough , I cant afford chiller I hope the fan do the job for summer

[Vitaminz]

I find if you have a canopy, and you build fans into it, it seems to contain the heat and expel it faster. Kind of like a heat sink in a computer... I only have the fans turn on when my MH go on, seems to keep the tank temp stable. How many hours did you put your MH on today?

Jeff

[arash53]

I dont have canopy the fixture is about 10" above the water surface , I go with 1 hour only for rest of the week and 2 hours for next week, I move the fan power cord to the actinics power bar (9am - 10pm) probably ill keep it there for rest of summer .