T5/Hybrid ramp-up time

[SpikeWire]

Hi folks,
I've had LED only for 4 years now and I am going to add a t5 hybrid fixture. My question is how long and slow of a ramp up time should it be for adding T5 into the mix? 20-30 minutes a day for a week and slowly increase?

Also, have folks needed to lower their LED intensity at all if adding T5s?

Thanks so much!
Chris

 

[andrewey]

Hey Chris,

As you've probably read, it's a lot easier to add T5s to LEDS than the other way around. I didn't have a Par meter when I added my T5s, so I simply started with them on for 60 minutes the first day and slowly ramped them up an hour a week (actually, my photoperiod increased by 9 minutes a day). There were a few threads on here and RC where people did similar without issues, so that's the schedule I chose to follow and I didn't have any issues with my SPS.

There probably are people who either just add them full time to their setups or ramp them up quicker, but I wasn't in a rush and I wanted to guarantee I would bleach/brown out any of my coral.

I did not lower the intensity of my LEDS initially. Once the full photoperiod was established, I lowered my whites a bit to achieve the color temperature I was after.

 

[SpikeWire]

Hey Chris,

As you've probably read, it's a lot easier to add T5s to LEDS than the other way around. I didn't have a Par meter when I added my T5s, so I simply started with them on for 60 minutes the first day and slowly ramped them up an hour a week (actually, my photoperiod increased by 9 minutes a day). There were a few threads on here and RC where people did similar without issues, so that's the schedule I chose to follow and I didn't have any issues with my SPS.

There probably are people who either just add them full time to their setups or ramp them up quicker, but I wasn't in a rush and I wanted to guarantee I would bleach/brown out any of my coral.

I did not lower the intensity of my LEDS initially. Once the full photoperiod was established, I lowered my whites a bit to achieve the color temperature I was after.

Hey thanks so much for the response. You and I are of the same mindset. I'm not in a rush either so a slow cautious approach like yours is what I'm aiming for. A slow introduction and just sit back and see how they react. Much appreciated!