How Long Should I Run My New Lights

[Frag Freaks]

I am getting my new MH lights 2x150 HQI 10k for my 38 gallon in on friday and i want to be prepared to hook them up the following day. I know i have to acclimate them to the tank. I only have one coral in there so far though and its a flower pot. I also will have 2x65 Actinic PC.

How long per day should i run the metal halides before i get to what i will be running then each day? Should i move the flower pot to the sand until i can acclimate it to the new lights?

Also after aclimmated how long should i run the actinics and halides per day.

What does every else have for a light schedule in their tanks. Whate time do you turn your actinics on then halides then halides off then actinics off.

 

[RichConley]

Do you have them hanging?

If so, I'd run full photoperiod, I'd just run them like 24"+ above the tank, and slowly move them down over a month or so.

 

[Frag Freaks]

no they wont be haning they are gonna be used with the mounthing legs

 

[this is me]

Get those light diffusers or eggcrates from HD and put a couple layers on top of the tank. Then remove each layer every 3-4days or week. The type of light you're upgrading from will determine the amoung of eggcrate you need and how slow you remove them.
Good luck. Have fun seeing your coraline bleach.

 

[reefphreak]

Have fun seeing your coraline bleach.

nice.....

 

[Frag Freaks]

thanks thats so nice of you to say that. I dont even have too much coraline in there as it is. But what you saying that i will never have coraline under MH

 

[this is me]

thanks thats so nice of you to say that. I dont even have too much coraline in there as it is. But what you saying that i will never have coraline under MH

I didnt mean it that way. The old coraline will bleach and a new one will grow on top of it.

 

[Frag Freaks]

oh ok i thought i wouldnt get any coraline growth. I havent even had too much since my tank has been set up so i wont mind.

 

[RayD]

Is that what happens when you add MH lighting to the system? I still have PC lighting and as much as I'd love a MH setup I can't justify the cost.

I have clams and acro and lots of very cool corals without MH. They all thrive and grow VERY nicely and I get great positive comments on my tank.

Anyway I got off point. What about all the purple coraline on the rocks. Would most of that bleach out when adding new MH's? I would probably start with 2 hour shifts a day and gradually build the light cycles up.

 

[Frag Freaks]

how long should i run my MH a day after i acclimate them to the tank. I was thinking 8hrs for the halides and 10 for the actinics. Actinics on an hour before and an hour after the halides.

 

[Duds]

well once mine are acclimated my schedule will be
actinic pcs: turn on 6 am
daylight pcs: turn on 7:30 am
mh: turn on 8 am
mh: turn off 6 pm
daylight pcs: turn off 6:30 pm
actinic pcs:turn off 8 pm
hope this helps a little
Duds

 

[Frag Freaks]

well once mine are acclimated my schedule will be
actinic pcs: turn on 6 am
daylight pcs: turn on 7:30 am
mh: turn on 8 am
mh: turn off 6 pm
daylight pcs: turn off 6:30 pm
actinic pcs:turn off 8 pm
hope this helps a little
Duds

yeah that helps a little.

i was thinking.
10am Actinic Turn on
10:15am Moonlights off
11:30am MH turn on
8:30 pm MH turn off
9:45 Moonlights on
10pm Actinic Turn off

 

[Duds]

I dont think you will need the moonlights on when the actinics are on, except for that I'd say it is good
Duds

 

[Frag Freaks]

well i was just going to put them on like 15mins before just so when the actinics shut off the moonlights would be on i guess i could even do like 2 mins before or w/e

 

[Duds]

whatever either way would work
Duds

 

[Frag Freaks]

yeah iguess whatever i feel like doing when i get my lights wasnt too worried about the moonlights anyway was just kinda worried about the halides

 

[Duds]

yea once they are acclimated that schedule will be fine
Duds

 

[Frag Freaks]

thanks for your help

 

[Frag Freaks]

also this is a 480w system what is this going to do to my tank temperatures. Is it anything that im going to have to be really worried about?