SPS Light Acclimation

[JaaxReef]

I recently acquired a yellow pocillipora and a Jedi Mind Trick Undata Monti. I have both on the sand bed for the time being and they have been there for 5 days. I have a Hydra 26HD running about 50% power with 70/30 blue/UV to White.

They frags came from a tank running Radions at a VERY blue setting that were quite high over the tank. So it was hard to tell with my eyes how strong the lights were. My setting are quite blue as well (probably 18k at peak intensity), but not as much as the tank they came from.

About how long should I wait before moving them up slowly? I've had difficulty with SPS bleaching if I move them up too fast so I'm looking for some advice. So far both corals are still showing good color and polyp extension.

Thank you all for your time!

Best Regards

 

[Flippers4pups]

Would be Advantageous to know your par levels in your tank.

 

[JaaxReef]

Sand bed around the sides is about 80-120 par (higher near the front of the tank), Mid level on rocks is about 150-200. Upper third in the center around 250-350 depending on how close to the light source.

I definitely don't have the light cranking, otherwise at the top of my rock structure I bet I'd be at about 500-600 par. The highest point is only about 14" below the light.

 

[Coronus]

How old is your tank? Bleaching corals can be very easy in new systems meaning under 10 months to a year. This is because their is not enough built up nutrients in the system to sustain color.
If the tank has a year and more. I would start now.
I have a Frag rack that new sps Frags go to first. They sit their about a week at the bottom. Then slowly move the rack up. Usually a coral will acclimate about 4 weeks before placement.
Use color to tell you when to raise the rack. If it has good color move it up. If it's browning move it up. If it's pale move it down. If Color is becoming dull but not brown, move it up and feed the tank more. Check po4 and no3 levels. This usually means not enough nutrients and needs a little more light.
Never raise the rack higher than your rock work. This way the color it becomes, it will stay.

 

[JaaxReef]

How old is your tank? Bleaching corals can be very easy in new systems meaning under 10 months to a year. This is because their is not enough built up nutrients in the system to sustain color.
If the tank has a year and more. I would start now.
I have a Frag rack that new sps Frags go to first. They sit their about a week at the bottom. Then slowly move the rack up. Usually a coral will acclimate about 4 weeks before placement.
Use color to tell you when to raise the rack. If it has good color move it up. If it's browning move it up. If it's pale move it down. If Color is becoming dull but not brown, move it up and feed the tank more. Check po4 and no3 levels. This usually means not enough nutrients and needs a little more light.
Never raise the rack higher than your rock work. This way the color it becomes, it will stay.

My tank is still pretty new... only 7 months old. So I probably shouldn't have tried SPS again... hopefully I didn't make a mistake and I can keep these alive because I just love them.

NO3 is about 2ppm. PO4 is basically undetectable, but I have some algae that creeps on the glass and I clean it about once every 3 days, so it can't actually be zero.

 

[ChiCity]

My tank is still pretty new... only 7 months old. So I probably shouldn't have tried SPS again... hopefully I didn't make a mistake and I can keep these alive because I just love them.

NO3 is about 2ppm. PO4 is basically undetectable, but I have some algae that creeps on the glass and I clean it about once every 3 days, so it can't actually be zero.

You can definitely start sps at 7 months, something else is the issue

 

[JaaxReef]

You can definitely start sps at 7 months, something else is the issue

The original SPS that I had about a month ago, bleached slowly over time. I had a good bet it was either too low of nutrients or too high of light. I didn't acclimate properly due to bad advice and just stuck them up high and shocked them.

My alk was solid at 8.4 and my calcium was solid at about 440. Magnesium had always been high in my setup at around 1500. No idea how it got that high when I don't dose Mag and my Salt tests in at 1350.