Lights too strong?

Golfman12 · Jan 20, 2016

I have been increasing my light strength my lowering my mh and my sps are not looking so good. The lost polyp extension and color where they get direct light but look fine lower on the colony where they get indirect light. Is it bad bulbs or is the light too strong?

sevens_up77 · Jan 20, 2016

Pictures of the coral would help but from what you said sounds like too much light. Have you used a par meter to determine your mh placement?

jackson6745 · Jan 20, 2016

Way too many variables to get an answer. You need to provide detail info about your system. Full lighting detail including height from water surface, system age, maintenance, water parms. A pic says 1000 words.

Golfman12 · Jan 20, 2016

2 400w mh 25 in off the surface corals about 15 in under water. The surface area lit by the mh is 63 in long. Those 2 my are on about 12 hours and 2 other 400w mh at same height are on 6 hours a day. (It's a 4 ft deep tank)
25% water change every other week with 0 tds water and reef crystals.
Salinity 33 ppt
Ph 8.3
Alk 9.3
Ca 440
Mg 1410
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 1
Po4 0-0.03 ( salifert test)

Run carbon in tlf 550 reactor

jackson6745 · Jan 20, 2016

12hr MH photoperiod way too long. I run 400w radium 6 hrs daily and SPS color and growth is excellent.

Golfman12 · Jan 20, 2016

The part of the digitada that is white is more of a light peach color with little to no polyp extension

Pete polyp · Jan 20, 2016

jackson6745 said:
12hr MH photoperiod way too long. I run 400w radium 6 hrs daily and SPS color and growth is excellent.

I only run my 250w for 7 hours a day. I agree 12 hours is too long for mh

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 20, 2016

Pete polyp said:
I only run my 250w for 7 hours a day. I agree 12 hours is too long for mh

Do you have other supplemental lighting? Or just the 7hr MH

Golfman12 · Jan 20, 2016

saltyfilmfolks said:
Do you have other supplemental lighting? Or just the 7hr MH

Just the mh

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 20, 2016

Golfman12 said:
I have been increasing my light strength my lowering my mh and my sps are not looking so good. The lost polyp extension and color where they get direct light but look fine lower on the colony where they get indirect light. Is it bad bulbs or is the light too strong?

Im acclimating to MH so curious.

How long have you been acclimating and do you have safety glass in the fixture? new bulbs?

tqui · Jan 20, 2016

try to cut back your photoperiod..

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 20, 2016

Golfman12 said:
Just the mh

Question For Pete and Jackson.

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 20, 2016

IME arc lamps when new emit more uv till they burn in.
There used to be only MH so super a short photoperiod seems odd unless its during acclimation
The glass blocks UV btw.
And there are lower light SPS wondering if its all the SPS struggling?

Golfman12 · Jan 20, 2016

Yes most of the sps are not doing well they are around the same distance from the lights

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 20, 2016

Golfman12 said:
Yes most of the sps are not doing well they are around the same distance from the lights

if you dont have a par meter a lux meter really does work to measure intensity. $15 for a decent on. Bout $75 for a Milwaukee.

If you can raise you lights I would for acclimation.

Here is a good acclimation thread. It seems led centric but its light.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/light-acclimation-question-led.210535/#post-2410866

Golfman12 · Jan 20, 2016

What lux would be good for sps? I will cut back photoperiod and see haw that goes

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 20, 2016

Like all corals specifics vary due to species preference. Ie the general move the coral around higher and lower.
Read up in that article it has suggestions.
Anywhere from 20,ooo lux to 80,ooo lux.
The Reef2reef member Mcarrol in the conversation posted recommends this. His SPS is at 50k lux last he metered.
Those readings are at the top of the water.

WetWhistle · Jan 20, 2016

To me based on this going on at the exact time you are lowering your light says to much light is the most likely. I would raise them up a little and slow down on lowering them. Wait a few weeks after you have raised them to see if they start healing before starting back up at lowering the lights. Contrary to what a lot of people think the glass sleeve doesn't filter out all the UV and a lot still gets through. I would add an air stone to help with healing as well. The extra o2 will help your coral with the light saturation levels in the corals by allowing them to respire and release any build up of extra CO2 and byproducts from suck high levels of light. Right now they are super saturated and out of their healthy tolerance levels so the extra respiration will go a long way.