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View Full Version : Acclimation to Metal Halides

TroutDoc
03/12/2008, 08:15 PM
Just got a metal halide (2 x 250W) fixture over my 180G reef tank. Looking for help on how to acclimate my tank/coral to the mh lighting. I have heard about using eggcrate and mesh screens and slowly removing them. I have also heard about slowly increasing the amount of time the coral is exposed to the mh lights. What are the experts' opinions here? Thanks!
BLKTANG
03/12/2008, 08:18 PM
what light was on the tank prior to this new light?
Aquarist007
03/12/2008, 08:20 PM
you usually start by having the corals low in the tank and gradually raising them once a week to higher levels.
IMO placement is a better strategy then blocking the light etc because once the blocks are removed ect then you could have the corals too close to the lights and end up bleaching them
AngeloM3
03/12/2008, 08:22 PM
Theres a bunch of methods.....
You could only light 1 of the MH for a week or two and then fire the other one up.
You could use the mesh/eggcrate method to block out the light and each week remove a layer
You could raise both MH's maybe 3ft above tank... and each week lower it.
You could put the corals on the sand bed and each week put them a little higher up on the rockwork.. until their on the top.
TroutDoc
03/12/2008, 08:22 PM
I had compact fluorescents, 4 x 96 (2 daylights, 2 actinics).
BLKTANG
03/12/2008, 08:24 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12076407#post12076407 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TroutDoc
I had compact fluorescents, 4 x 96 (2 daylights, 2 actinics).


Decrease photoperiod,& do the layered screen mythod.
TroutDoc
03/12/2008, 08:25 PM
AngeloM3, thanks for the various options. I may try raising the light fixture as moving my coral down may be a pain.
TroutDoc
03/12/2008, 08:26 PM
The light is definitely much more intense than the cf's. The fish seem to be loving it. They came to life! And some of my coral are waving as if to smile. Now I just have to not bleach them.
TroutDoc
03/12/2008, 08:27 PM
Capn - what's IMO stand for?
BLKTANG
03/12/2008, 08:32 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12076448#post12076448 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TroutDoc
Capn - what's IMO stand for?


In My Opinion.:p
TroutDoc
03/12/2008, 08:42 PM
thanks everyone, i'm going to go take care of this right now
Blown 346
03/13/2008, 12:11 AM
I have great results this way. I upgraded form PC's to 2 250 watt halides. I did this...

Started the halides on 3 hours a day, every day after that I increaeed the lighting times by 30 minutes until I reached my full 8 hour day. Worked great, I didnt have to get screen, eggcrate, lower and raise the lights, or move the livestock.