Question about upgrading MH BULB 250-400...

[JLAudio]

I just bought a coralvie 400 watt DE pendent 20k coralvue bulb and ballast and its beutiful but Im trying not to burn my corals, so I have been keeping the pendent about a foot off the water rather than the reccomended 8inches for first week or so. My old 250 was only about 5 inches away and corals were fine. Should I run it sparingly to start or should it be fine like this?

I also notice a few degree temp increase in a day even with fan on surface where light is transmitting (78-82, but house was warm and didnt have ac on so hard to tell)

Thanks all

 

[jcurry]

You can put several layers of window screen over the tank and then remove one layer every week or so until your corals adapt.

 

[JLAudio]

Thanks Jcurry, thats a good suggestion.

Does anyone else have any suggestions if going for 250 to 400 MH de?

 

[reefman]

just monitor closely for a week or 2 n move the light higher if the corals shows burning. take advantage of having hanging lights.
given enough time to slowly adjust, the sps n clam will benefit the most from the lights. i think 400 is a bit too strong for others though.

 

[JLAudio]

Thanks reef, my corals which seem to really be responding are the ones in the lower portion, which are the LPS and polyps. If they were higher they probably wouldnt but now with the pendent their getting a good amount of light and seem to be reacting to it.

However, one millipora I have and a green slimer show some browning on the top, which I believe to be burning, but my acropora seem fine, with it

 

[JLAudio]

The bulb is a 20k coralvue and really white, I was hoping for something similar to a 14k phoenix but no such luck, now my front room is like a tanning salon

 

[fritz]

try the 12k reeflux

 

[JLAudio]

does reeflux 12k make a 400 de?

 

[miamiluis]

400 MH? No Problem!

Wasabi!
I used to have a 75G in which I upgraded from 175 MH to 400MH 20K XM's (mogul). I upgraded mainly to get more color and more growth. I had my 400s 3" from the water and most of my SPS were about 5" to 2" from the water surface. I slowly acclimated my corals to the 400s over 6 weeks by playing around with the light periods as opposed to the traditional methods of elevating at first, and slowly lowering the pendants. I also had 260watts of PC Actinics as blue supplement back then! I know it was an over kill, but I thought the more the merrier back then!
This is how I did it:
(actinics were always on for 12hrs/ day: an hour before and after MHs)
WK1 MHs: 2hrs ON/ 2hrs OFF/ 2hrs ON/ 2hrs OFF/ 2hrs ON (6hrs total 400s photoperiod)
WK2 MHs: 3hrs ON/ 2hrs OFF/ 3hrs ON/ 2hrs OFF/ 2hrs ON (8hrs total)
WK3 MHs: 4hrs ON/ 2hrs OFF/ 3hrs ON/ 2hrs OFF/ 2hrs ON (9hrs total)
WK4 MHs: 5hrs ON/ 2hrs OFF/ 4hrs ON (9hrs total)
WK5 MHs: 6hrs ON/ 1hr OFF/ 3hrs ON (9hrs)
WK6 MHs: 9hrs ON
1.5hrs of actinics before and after 9hrs of MHs.
I still moved a few LPS and softies down in the tank, but remember that none of the SPS or rics had any issues with the MHs. Some zoos, like the bambams initially closed up under the MHs, and since they were encrusted on the big rocks, there was no way of moving them. I thought that they would melt away, but to my surprise, they ended up loving the 400s and till this day, I haven't had them open up as huge as they did then under the MHs. I also added extra lugol's solution (iodine) to help in the acclimation. Some people will disagree with me, but I doubled the recommended dose.

I hope this helps.

 

[JLAudio]

Wasabi!
I used to have a 75G in which I upgraded from 175 MH to 400MH 20K XM's (mogul). I upgraded mainly to get more color and more growth. I had my 400s 3" from the water and most of my SPS were about 5" to 2" from the water surface. I slowly acclimated my corals to the 400s over 6 weeks by playing around with the light periods as opposed to the traditional methods of elevating at first, and slowly lowering the pendants. I also had 260watts of PC Actinics as blue supplement back then! I know it was an over kill, but I thought the more the merrier back then!
This is how I did it:
(actinics were always on for 12hrs/ day: an hour before and after MHs)
WK1 MHs: 2hrs ON/ 2hrs OFF/ 2hrs ON/ 2hrs OFF/ 2hrs ON (6hrs total 400s photoperiod)
WK2 MHs: 3hrs ON/ 2hrs OFF/ 3hrs ON/ 2hrs OFF/ 2hrs ON (8hrs total)
WK3 MHs: 4hrs ON/ 2hrs OFF/ 3hrs ON/ 2hrs OFF/ 2hrs ON (9hrs total)
WK4 MHs: 5hrs ON/ 2hrs OFF/ 4hrs ON (9hrs total)
WK5 MHs: 6hrs ON/ 1hr OFF/ 3hrs ON (9hrs)
WK6 MHs: 9hrs ON
1.5hrs of actinics before and after 9hrs of MHs.
I still moved a few LPS and softies down in the tank, but remember that none of the SPS or rics had any issues with the MHs. Some zoos, like the bambams initially closed up under the MHs, and since they were encrusted on the big rocks, there was no way of moving them. I thought that they would melt away, but to my surprise, they ended up loving the 400s and till this day, I haven't had them open up as huge as they did then under the MHs. I also added extra lugol's solution (iodine) to help in the acclimation. Some people will disagree with me, but I doubled the recommended dose.

I hope this helps.

Great suggestion, Thanks alot!

Ive been doing the light 15 from top as well the breaking of mh lighting. For week one Ive been doing, 12pm-3pm MH, 3-5 off, 5-9MH, 9 off for night. Only prob is pendent doesnt have and actinics so the light is totally off midday messing with the corals. Also, the coralvue bulbs needs some actinic help, even though its a 20k its too white.

Thanks alot though