What Precautions for New Lights?

[scumonkey]

I'm getting a pair of XM 250 10K MH's on Wed, to replace the crap Reef Grow lights I have now, (one a 10k the other a 15k-don't ask).
Both of my currant crap lights are less than 2 months old, (and both started out as 10k's).
Would I have to step down my photo period to allow for the corals to adjust
to the new XM's, or are my other lights still new enough that it really shouldn't matter,(I have sps,lps,& softies).

 

[DevIouS]

What is your lighting schedule now & what brand is the 10k bulb?

XM's have great par & will much more intense (of course way more than the 15k).
I'm going to say yes, cut down on some light time for about a week or so & raise it gradually.
Good luck.

 

[jhale]

XM10K's have some serious PAR, dependiing on your ballast it's anywhere from 520 to 835. I don't know what you have now, but I'm sure the XM's are much higher.

I would cut way down on the light peroid. Start with 1-2 hours a day and work up from there slowly.

 

[nanoreefer22]

Like they said cut down the photoperiod. You could try using screens on top of the tank to make the light more intense. Start with a few layers of the screens and every couple of days take a screen off until there are no more. This way you run little risk of bleaching or causing any stress to your coral.

It'd seem like just lessening the photoperiod just shocks the coral with new much brighter light for a little less, but it's still going to shock them, no??

 

[scumonkey]

I start off with one 90w super actinic at 11:00am
Then another 90w SA at 11:30am
At 12:00 the 2 250W MH's come on and stay on till 7:00pm
At 10:30pm one Actinic goes off, At 10:45pm the blue led moonlites come on, than at 11pm the last Actinic goes off.

It'd seem like just lessening the photoperiod just shocks the coral with new much brighter light for a little less, but it's still going to shock them, no??

So I should use some sort of screen instead of a shorter photo period?
What process do others use when changing out bulbs?