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Fishy Baby
02/27/2008, 02:44 PM
We currently have a 24g nano-cube with the stock power compact lighting – 2 x 36 watt lights that are half white and half actinic. We are upgrading to the new 150W HQI 14K metal halide light made by JBJ. Our livestock is a mix of SPS, LPS, and a few paly colonies. We also have a cleanup crew, but no fish. Can anyone recommend a method of acclimating our corals to the much brighter light? We did some searching for relevant articles or posts and have come up empty. Thanks!

stunreefer
02/27/2008, 03:56 PM
You could move all LS (Live Stock) down about 1/3 of the way, and LS on bottom would have to go towards the sides/corners of the tank. This is a pain IMO, but its a free way to go about it that works.

Personally I have used a few methods in the past in your situation and prefer the "screen" method. You get some black screen, or any screen will work really (If close to you MH be carefull to choose a material that will not melt or catch fire!), and layer it up. the more layers, the darker the aquarium becomes. On a nano I would just stretch the screen over the top and weight the corners down, or pinch it in the top. Start with around 5-10 layers (depends on screen), just making sure your seeing the aquarium become darker, or less intense light with each layer. Then week by week (time can vary, I use week intervals) remove one layer of the screen. Once corals seem to open well, you can remove another layer, thus removing screen faster halfway through the process if you feel comforatable. Then within a month or two you have your new light set-up, you never had to move any corals (my favorite part for sure...changing lights will make corals mad, but its not as much as moving them around), and your corals are rocking! Remember, generally when changing lights in any manner your coral colors will change for the worst initially.

saltysupply
02/27/2008, 04:02 PM
Just decrease the photo period, cut it in half and then raise the time the light is on over a week or 2.