How long .....

[nyfireman3097]

I just got new bulbs im gonna do one bulb at a time to acclimate I run my MH for 4 hours a day how should i acclimate them how many hows a day ????????
Nick

[Ger]

Nick, have you thought about using several layers of window mesh screen as a partial "intensity reducer"? That way you don't have to change your photo period or the height of the bulbs above the water. Just lay out several layers of the mesh over your tank and remove one sheet every day or two until they are all gone....

[o2manyfish]

It kind of depends whether you temperature shifted - If you went up in K from a 10K to a 20K then you don't need to acclimate.

Only 4 hours a day of Halide seems pretty short. I would back off to like 2.5hours and then every 3-4 days add a half an hour of more light.

Dave B

[Aged Salt]

Good points Gary & Dave Nick, I generally just raise my lights for a couple of weeks but if you can not, Gary's suggestion with layering is the way to go, Bob

[nyfireman3097]

i used to do it that way Gary but it was more of a hassle then just re setting the timers i M ONLY DOING 1 BU;LB at a time and there all staying the same as they were before temp wise

[danny]

I'm also wondering why you have such a short photoperiod. Mine is 10 hours for the metalhalides (3 * 400 Watt 14K BLV) and 14 hours for the "actinic" (vho 2 * 58 Watt Osram 67) Wenn replacing bulps I don't aclimate the and just switchs bulps havent have any problems sofar. I change bulbs every year. If you change bulps and photoperiod then 2 things are changed!

[SEAREEF]

i pretty much do what danny does ....I change my bulbs 400 watt 20 k XM @ 9mos and I dont aclimate .i run my metals for about 8 hrs

[nyfireman3097]

i used to runn my MH for 8 hours and actinics for 12 BUT i cut them down a hour every week and when i hit 4 hours they seemed just as happy and colorful as when I had thge on for 8 hours my actinics are on for 8 hours SPS only absorb a certain amount of par till there soaked in NY we pay the highest for electricity so havin my MH on for 4 hours getting the same results and saving the money on my bill

[danny]

Are more reefers doing this? seemed that I've missed something

[nyfireman3097]

Alot of RC members do this i dont know about here And from what i understand the reason for acclimating new bulbs is that old bulbs loses there par and when you change tham out your getting full par so you wanna allow you corals to get used to them just like when you acclimate them to your tank from another

[SEAREEF]

Alot of RC members do this i dont know about here And from what i understand the reason for acclimating new bulbs is that old bulbs loses there par and when you change tham out your getting full par so you wanna allow you corals to get used to them just like when you acclimate them to your tank from another

Nick im pretty sure im correct when i say this .But they lose alot of par at 1 year and longer .ive always had good luck but then again I swap mine out at 9 mos or even 8 mos sometimes .If you wait till 1 year or longer you may change coral color .also 20 k are much more forgiving than 10 ks

[SEAREEF]

I honestly dont think 4 hrs of metal halides is enough if you are growing wild caught acros from figi ,mainly there blue acros .If you grow acros that have been raised from frags or AC acros then maybe yes 4hrs is enough ..

Are more reefers doing this? seemed that I've missed something

[nyfireman3097]

Yeah you might be right but im not an expert so i do not know for sure but i change mine ioout at 10 months

[nyfireman3097]

I hadve had wild fiji sps and have had them grow very nice never had a problem with 4 hour lights