Lighting Issues with Corals

[Aquattro]

Just a thought...are these double ended, and if so, do they have UV covers?

[ChefFish]

How long are you running the lights for each day and how high are they off the tank? I recently upgraded to 2x 250 mh from 2x 175 mh, and had to cut back my light schedule. Try running them for shorter periods and slowly increase the time over a period of weeks. Also you may have your corals too high up in the tank. I've never had colt corals, but I assume that like most softies they don't like too much light and would do best on the bottom, or in a shady area if you have one. Just my 2 cents....or 5 cents now that we don't have pennies

[Phil]

I have a old coral life 2x150 + pc fixture over a 75 gallon and have no problem with sps,clams,zoas my other tank is 36x24x12 and have a 6bulb t5 over it and I can't keep anything in it it's too bright. Both are sitting on the legs.

[LeanneP]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Just a thought...are these double ended, and if so, do they have UV covers?

These are double ended. How would I tell if they have UV covers? Is it something the light fixture has built into it? I bought new bulbs last August. That might have been when I started having issues come to think of it.

I only run my lights for 4 hours a day and all the corals are at the bottom of the tank. Hammer and frogspawn are partially covered.

Leanne

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by LeanneP

These are double ended. How would I tell if they have UV covers? Is it something the light fixture has built into it? I bought new bulbs last August. That might have been when I started having issues come to think of it.

I only run my lights for 4 hours a day and all the corals are at the bottom of the tank. Hammer and frogspawn are partially covered.

Leanne

The cover glass should be all you need, so make sure the glass is in place.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by LeanneP

I only run my lights for 4 hours a day and all the corals are at the bottom of the tank. Hammer and frogspawn are partially covered.

Leanne

I'd say that's about half of what they need. I would run them at least 7 hours, supplementing a dawn and dusk with actinic.

[LeanneP]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I'd say that's about half of what they need. I would run them at least 7 hours, supplementing a dawn and dusk with actinic.

Yes, I agree Brad that it isn't long enough, but I never increased it because it looked like the corals were getting too much light. Sometimes they will close up when I turn the lights on and the tissue almost looks swollen on the hammer and the frogspawn and my mushrooms will shrivel right up. I have checked all my other parameters and everything is good so I keep coming back to the lights. I will start increasing the lights and see what happens.

Leanne

[Aquattro]

And you do have the cover glass installed?

[LeanneP]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

And you do have the cover glass installed?

Yes, I do have the glass covers installed.

[fishytime]

I would think that some sort of reaction to an increase in light would be normal....It may take a few days for the corals to adjust....