Light Acclimation

[JSB]

I have a question about light acclimation. The answer may be simple, so forgive me my ignorance.

Many people will start corals off at the bottom of the aquarium and work them up into place over time. Some people will reduce the photo period and increase it over a few weeks. Since my lights are dimmable, I would prefer to simply reduce the intensity by 30-50% and increase it over time, having placed the animals where I want them to begin with. As an example, I know the conditions from which all my recent frags came from. Placement, depth, lighting, flow. If I place these frags in similar flow and depth and a little less light, then gradually increase the lighting up to and beyond their original amount, I should be able to avoid the adjustments to placement and photoperiod. Do you guys agree?

Or am I totally confused?

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Yes I agree and have done this as well with my dimmable led's.

 

[H@rry]

You're right. One thing to consider is your LEDs. Several people have a difference of opinion about them. It seems that you may get more intensity from them than from MHs because they seem to be more of a focused light source than MHs. IOW, what our eyes see is not necessarily what the corals experience with reference to them having come from a MH environment. But I think you're on the right track. Cut your intensity back and gradually increase it (probably weekly) while you watch your corals closely. If they show any signs of bleaching be ready to back down.

Now, this is coming from someone who has never run LEDs so take that for what you think it is worth.

 

[mike_dani]

You're right. One thing to consider is your LEDs. Several people have a difference of opinion about them. It seems that you may get more intensity from them than from MHs because they seem to be more of a focused light source than MHs. IOW, what our eyes see is not necessarily what the corals experience with reference to them having come from a MH environment. But I think you're on the right track. Cut your intensity back and gradually increase it (probably weekly) while you watch your corals closely. If they show any signs of bleaching be ready to back down.

Now, this is coming from someone who has never run LEDs so take that for what you think it is worth.

Harry hit a home run with this statement.

 

[JSB]

Thanks all. That makes sense to me, and actually it did all along. I just needed for some great minds to chime in. Me actually keeping SPS is going on 6 weeks now and I am still a bit timid in my moves. I am currently running that Radion at about 70%, over new frags that came from a tank with MH lamps that had a little time on them. I will keep a close eye on the new stuff and bump up the intensity 10% a week.

 

[ReeFreshing]

This is a very interesting subject... I have ordered my radion and it's on it's way, I'm currently using a single 250mh with 460nm acts, which my mixed reef seems to enjoy. I was told (from an ecotech employee running the radions) that a single radion unit is equivalent to a 250w bulb so I didn't have to do any acclimation and just set it to 80% max intensity and my corals shouldn't notice any changes... Yet I am fearful that the focal point in the LEDs differ greatly from the Mh I currently have! Any thoughts, suggestions?
Also, should I dial down the radion for corals that I just acquired from a t5 light source?

 

[JSB]

Obviously I am no expert, but if I were to acquire pieces from anything other than tanks with 250W or more MH, I would err to the low side and start in around 40 or 50% as opposed to 70 or 80%. This is based on what I hear others doing. The "1 Radion = 1 250W MH" formula that Radion claims gave me the sense that I could do 70% as a starting spot and be safe, again assuming the corals originally came from a MH system and not T5 or CFL.

As for the focal point, I just couldn't answer. I would think though, that if you back the intensity down to 60-70-80% you will minimize any issues associated with focal points.