LFS keeps lights lower...how do I adjust?

[mbarber87]

My lfs keeps their sps tank at 300-400 par and mine is 500+.

i’m kind of nervous of just putting the coil in my tank, risking it bleaching out. The first round of coral I bought, I brought my lights down to acclimate.

What’s the best way to do this without bringing the lights down in the DT and acclimating every time I buy a new coral?

Will I kill the coral if I put a sps frag that’s used to lower light into a high light system?

 

[Biglew11]

Is that 500 par only at the top or do you have 500 par at the bottom? Normally you would put new coral at the bottom of the tank and slowly move it high up so it can get used to your light without you having to lower the lights every time you get a new coral.

 

[brmreefer]

When I purchase a new coral, I will place it in an area of the tank that has a low PAR, so I don't have to adjust the lights everytime a new addition comes in. Eventually, I will gradually move the new coral to higher PAR areas and finally at the disired location.

A coral that is used to lower light can be killed by suddenly being introduced to extremely higher PAR without acclimation. Slow and steady adjustments will help.

 

[mbarber87]

When I purchase a new coral, I will place it in an area of the tank that has a low PAR, so I don't have to adjust the lights everytime a new addition comes in. Eventually, I will gradually move the new coral to higher PAR areas and finally at the disired location.

A coral that is used to lower light can be killed by suddenly being introduced to extremely higher PAR without acclimation. Slow and steady adjustments will help.

What kind of schedule do you acclimate? 30 days? 60 days?

 

[brmreefer]

Different corals acclimate differently, so keep that in mind. I would wait 30 days (longer as needed) and see how the coral is reacting. If it is growing and has polyp extension, then it is happy. Move it to a new location with slightly higher PAR and repeat until it is at the desired location. If the coral reacts negatively, then reverse course and give it more time. This will be a slow process, but patience will pay off.