will my sps bleach with 250w MH

[damienkee]

im using HO T5s plus PL currently, but wish to upgrade my to 250w soon. height of my tank is only 12 inch. and im worried my sps will bleach becoz of high light.:( any idea to share?:confused:

thanks!
Damien

[damienkee]

if i place a PL on each side of MH, only on the MH for 4-5 hours, and PL continue till 8 hours. would this solve the problem?

[ClownReef®]

I would start with short photoperiods..then increase them gradually..let your corals get used to the increment of light.

[damienkee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7056423#post7056423 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by iReef69
I would start with short photoperiods..then increase them gradually..let your corals get used to the increment of light.

start with 2 hours?
im planning for 14000k blv bulb.

[damienkee]

any input?

[Lunchbucket]

don't do the short photoperiod method. that does NOT work that well plus it is a PITA.

got to Home Depot, Menards, or Lowes and get stuff callted light diffuser or egg crate. it is the square stuff put under flour lights to focus them.

then get some nylon windown screen while you are there

use a side cutters (or such) to cut a piece or 2 (i like 2...its easier to remove) to fit the top of your tank.

then cut 3-4 layers of window screening to fit the eggcrate. tape layer one one, layer two on top of that, three on top of 2, and 4 ontop of 3.

set your lights to 8hrs or whatever photoperiod you are going to run and run that for 7days. then peel off 1 layer of screen, run for 7days remove layer three, etc, etc.

this will give them time to acclimate. you can do longer periods then 7days if you wish.

i have done the on/off or short photoperiods before and this window screen method is MUCH easier and works better IMO

Lunchbucket

[Znut Reefer]

I agree with Lunchbucket it works better, and then you are sure they won't bleach on you.

[damienkee]

thanks lunchbucket, this is really a new & great idea for me.... amazing!

thank you! thank you!

and thanks, znut Reefer!

[RichConley]

I ran a 250 on a 12" deep tank, theyre really a waste. You're not going to see any improvement in your corals. You dont really say what size tank it is, other than depth, but I was running it on a 20L, and to not bleach everything, I had to keep it up 12"+ above the tank, and was spraying light all over the room at that point, really just not an optimal setup.

[Lunchbucket]

damienkee - no problem. figured someone could learn from my mistakes

Lunchbucket

[damienkee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7059640#post7059640 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RichConley
I ran a 250 on a 12" deep tank, theyre really a waste. You're not going to see any improvement in your corals. You dont really say what size tank it is, other than depth, but I was running it on a 20L, and to not bleach everything, I had to keep it up 12"+ above the tank, and was spraying light all over the room at that point, really just not an optimal setup.

my tank size is 12"H, 24"W, 12"L
including sump is 38g:)

mind to share more info & pic?

thanks!
Damien

[Wiskey]

I would definitally acclimate slowly! Screen the tank, that works better than the photoperiod thing. If it were me I think a 150W would be a better choice.

HTH,
Whiskey

[damienkee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7064646#post7064646 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Wiskey
I would definitally acclimate slowly! Screen the tank, that works better than the photoperiod thing. If it were me I think a 150W would be a better choice.

HTH,
Whiskey

but would acclimate help? coz its only 12"H:confused:

thanks!:D

[herefishyfishy2]

I have a 75 gallon with a 4-5" DSB which makes the tank alot shallower. I have some troubles with bleaching no matter where I put SPS and no matter how careful I acclimate so I feel your pain. I have the Aqua-Medic 48" 2x250 and 1x150 Ocean light running all DE 20k AB bulbs . Certainly looking forward to my new 120 to spread that light out a little and not be so intense.

[Wiskey]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7065975#post7065975 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by damienkee
but would acclimate help? coz its only 12"H:confused:

thanks!:D

Like I said, I would go with the 150W hands down.

If you are dead set on 250W then you can always put the pendit 14 inches off the tank and not have too much light in the tank but I think that is a waist.

Whiskey

[damienkee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7066475#post7066475 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by herefishyfishy2
I have a 75 gallon with a 4-5" DSB which makes the tank alot shallower. I have some troubles with bleaching no matter where I put SPS and no matter how careful I acclimate so I feel your pain. I have the Aqua-Medic 48" 2x250 and 1x150 Ocean light running all DE 20k AB bulbs . Certainly looking forward to my new 120 to spread that light out a little and not be so intense.

o... thanks for letting me kno;)

[damienkee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7066822#post7066822 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Wiskey
Like I said, I would go with the 150W hands down.

If you are dead set on 250W then you can always put the pendit 14 inches off the tank and not have too much light in the tank but I think that is a waist.

Whiskey

thanks for sharing all the info with me!:D
will keep eyes on it!

[Lunchbucket]

herefishyfishy - i run 2x400w MH on my 58gal and i bleach NOTHING if i acclimate them right. there is something not going right with either you acclimation or you water.

Lunchbucket

[herefishyfishy2]

Thats what I am leaning towards as well. Just can't figure it out. I would have to say that its acclimation somehow someway. Whats odd is I have a friend that I get frags from with 3 400watt bulbs on his tank and I bring them home and acclimate carefully with the screen layer method and they still bleach even with would you could consider less light. Starts at just the tips and works its way down the frag/colony.

[Lunchbucket]

what are your water parameters? what is you po4?? doesn't sound like light to me. not sure what but run all yoru tests and psot the parameters

Lunchbucket

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7073775#post7073775 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by herefishyfishy2
Thats what I am leaning towards as well. Just can't figure it out. I would have to say that its acclimation somehow someway. Whats odd is I have a friend that I get frags from with 3 400watt bulbs on his tank and I bring them home and acclimate carefully with the screen layer method and they still bleach even with would you could consider less light. Starts at just the tips and works its way down the frag/colony.

Your tank is cleaner than his.

[herefishyfishy2]

Lunchbucket and all.....I appreciate your help

Sorry to Hi-jack here, but I do need all the help I can get

Here we go:

Amonia undetectable
Nitrite undetectable
Nitrate 2ppm
Phosphate undetectable
Calcium 420
Magnesium 1350
Alk 9 dkh
ORP 375 (Milwaukee controller)
Salinity 1.026 (refractometer)
Temp 79-81
pH 8.1 to 8.3 (Pinpoint meter)

All tests were Salifert except where noted

I do run ozone using an Enaly unit and milwaukee contoller. I Skim heavily. I have 2 Seio 1100's in the tank
and a mag 9.5 for my return. I use Balck Diamond carbon 24/7. I have no macro algea issues in the tank that could be using
phosphate before the test can register it. I do have very clear water which make me wonder about light penetration being stronger.
Some longtime Acros I have are doing great, but new additions always seem to struggle. My Aqua-Medic pendant is hung very high
over the tank ~ 18 inches or so. No AEFW that I have ever seen and I have no red bugs that I have seen since my 3 interceptor treatments 6 months ago.

Also, I simply cannot keep montipora at all be it encrusting, digitata, or caps as they all fade and die. I do have 2 leathers
and a Sinularia tree which makes me wonder about warfare, but most frags I get come from fellow reefers with a mixed reef too.


Any additional thoughts?

[herefishyfishy2]

^ bumping to get some help/ideas

[Lunchbucket]

i would wonder if warfare would be the cause.

even if you water is clear(er) if you acclimate them right you would still be ok

Lunchbucket

[damienkee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7074525#post7074525 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by herefishyfishy2
Lunchbucket and all.....I appreciate your help

Sorry to Hi-jack here, but I do need all the help I can get

Here we go:

Amonia undetectable
Nitrite undetectable
Nitrate 2ppm
Phosphate undetectable
Calcium 420
Magnesium 1350
Alk 9 dkh
ORP 375 (Milwaukee controller)
Salinity 1.026 (refractometer)
Temp 79-81
pH 8.1 to 8.3 (Pinpoint meter)

All tests were Salifert except where noted

I do run ozone using an Enaly unit and milwaukee contoller. I Skim heavily. I have 2 Seio 1100's in the tank
and a mag 9.5 for my return. I use Balck Diamond carbon 24/7. I have no macro algea issues in the tank that could be using
phosphate before the test can register it. I do have very clear water which make me wonder about light penetration being stronger.
Some longtime Acros I have are doing great, but new additions always seem to struggle. My Aqua-Medic pendant is hung very high
over the tank ~ 18 inches or so. No AEFW that I have ever seen and I have no red bugs that I have seen since my 3 interceptor treatments 6 months ago.

Also, I simply cannot keep montipora at all be it encrusting, digitata, or caps as they all fade and die. I do have 2 leathers
and a Sinularia tree which makes me wonder about warfare, but most frags I get come from fellow reefers with a mixed reef too.


Any additional thoughts?

no problem bro... pls go ahead... i learn too.

[damienkee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7079314#post7079314 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lunchbucket
i would wonder if warfare would be the cause.

even if you water is clear(er) if you acclimate them right you would still be ok

Lunchbucket

i might agreed v u! i have leather coral too, previously! some of my sps die for no reason... i wonder... but after donated to others... so far... no sps dieing in my tank!;)

[herefishyfishy2]

Hmmmmm...........might have to set up a softie tank for the Wife.....as those are her favortites.