Lighting Question?

[brianx45]

I am currently running T5 actinics for 2 hrs in the morning and 2 hrs at night(Sunrise, Sunset effect). Throughout the day I run Metal Halide lamps for 6 hrs. The problem is my metal halide ballast broke about 10 days ago and I just got it back from being serviced. I have been running the T5 actinics for 10 hrs a day, but now I want to put the metal halides back on. Should I put them on for 6 hrs a day right away, or should I put them on for 1 hr a day and build it up 2 Hrs next day and so on, or should I deflect the light with some type of screening and slowly move it away over the course of a week?

 

[qy7400]

First choice would be to deflect the light with a screen or if you can raise the lights higher, about a foot and slowly lower them; otherwise the shortened period. Going full blast after 10 days just seems like a sure way to stress the your corals.

 

[Keith P]

I used stacked egg crate to diffuse some of the light. Adjusting the height is probably the best option, if it is available to you...