To Much Light ???????

[customcover]

We just upgraded our lighting on a 55 gal reef tank, 8 weeks ago. All ights are about 8" above the water and are on 2hrs. in the morning and 8 hrs in the evening 10 hrs total. We are having some problems with some corals.

2 - 175 Watt metal Halides 20,000k
2 - 65 Watt dual daylight power compacts
2 - 65 Watt dual actinic power compacts
all lights are new.

All water conditions are right on the mark. Green goiopora is losing some the green end tenacles. Yellow star polyps do not come out, but are still alive. Mushroom leather tenacles do not come out. All other corals doing fine, we do experance some problems with long stringy green alge that trap air bubbles with it.
Any suggestions....

[tjigger]

Hi customcover,
Are your lights going on and off twice a day? If they are that could be your problem.
Let your actinic PC come on 1hr before your MH's and turn off 1hr after your MH;s turn off.

You have 610W (watts) or 11.09WPG (watts per gal)which is a little high, but you don't need the daylight PC's your MH's are your daylight lights.

[cwrenge]

We just upgraded our lighting on a 55 gal reef tank, 8 weeks ago. All ights are about 8" above the water and are on 2hrs. in the morning and 8 hrs in the evening 10 hrs total. We are having some problems with some corals.

2 - 175 Watt metal Halides 20,000k
2 - 65 Watt dual daylight power compacts
2 - 65 Watt dual actinic power compacts
all lights are new.

All water conditions are right on the mark. Green goiopora is losing some the green end tenacles. Yellow star polyps do not come out, but are still alive. Mushroom leather tenacles do not come out. All other corals doing fine, we do experance some problems with long stringy green alge that trap air bubbles with it.
Any suggestions.... :cool: you didn't mention....All n what kind of corals..?my( perplexing? ) question is " How does... all
lightsystems ... Fit Over the 55..? "I went from a 4 , 55 whatt PC to a 2 /96 wt actn. n 175 MH hamilton..... and for me , i wished i went too a double MH ....the 55 has a brace in the middle of the tank , n so my frags are centered near the top n under the MH Bulb... theres growth showing , yet i feel possibly if i went 2 , 175's it would be just right for what i'm looking for.... it's important that any up-grade you take into consideriation The Re-Placement of your corals.... so to acclimate them to the New Intensity of Light.....my zoas are responding very astounding...and my softies seem happy... the star polyps (at various levels ) at the base seem to be doing the best.... i have green shroons that are moving around n the ones in partial light are doubleing in size.......... iwanted to share with you this info.... cause we dont hear from people with 55's much.....i hope we can help each other by shareing what happens in our Small Reefs..... cw.

[Alf]

Did you slowly acclimate the new lights. This is neccessary with new and more powerful lighting. What you are describing is light shock.
Also one lighting period not two. Stay as natural as possible.

[customcover]

Thanks for the reponse, to answer tjiggers question first. Yes I have the lights cycling twice a day, nice to see whats going on before I leave for work, this is going to change today and only will cycle once a day for 8 hrs.
Now CW's quetions, can't remember all of the corals names but will try, brain coral, green star polyps, yellow star polyps, several different mushrooms, several different anemone's, crocea clam and one leather that looks like a standing mushroom, flower pot coral (goniopora), several fish, cleaner shrimp, hermit crabs.
How do all of the lights fit, very easliy done. Everything fits on a 48" standard reflector, the tank does have a center divider, but it is made of glass, the 2 MH are on each side of this and the 4 PC's are arranged as standard, 2 in front 2 in back. Took all of the PC stuff from an Orbit light I purchased several months ago.
Alf, asked if I acclimated the tank to the new lights, yes I did. Only several hrs a day then increased 15-30 minutes a day till where I am now.
I am going to remove the dual daylight PC's and leave the 2 MH and 2 PC actinics to see if this will help the leather and the polyps. We are not having a major problem, but the leather has never looked as the day I purchased it, and the same for the yellow polyps (several months ago). Just thought we may have to much light.

Thanks for your help, MC

[cwrenge]

Thanks for the reponse, to answer tjiggers question first. Yes I have the lights cycling twice a day, nice to see whats going on before I leave for work, this is going to change today and only will cycle once a day for 8 hrs.
Now CW's quetions, can't remember all of the corals names but will try, brain coral, green star polyps, yellow star polyps, several different mushrooms, several different anemone's, crocea clam and one leather that looks like a standing mushroom, flower pot coral (goniopora), several fish, cleaner shrimp, hermit crabs.
How do all of the lights fit, very easliy done. Everything fits on a 48" standard reflector, the tank does have a center divider, but it is made of glass, the 2 MH are on each side of this and the 4 PC's are arranged as standard, 2 in front 2 in back. Took all of the PC stuff from an Orbit light I purchased several months ago.
Alf, asked if I acclimated the tank to the new lights, yes I did. Only several hrs a day then increased 15-30 minutes a day till where I am now.
I am going to remove the dual daylight PC's and leave the 2 MH and 2 PC actinics to see if this will help the leather and the polyps. We are not having a major problem, but the leather has never looked as the day I purchased it, and the same for the yellow polyps (several months ago). Just thought we may have to much light.

Thanks for your help, MC :) the leather you mention as looking like a standing mushroom sounds very intresting to me, wish you had a picture .....it took my polyps a while for them to respond as well...sounds like a great set up for a 55.... have you moved the mushroon to a spot farther away from bright light...? might help it...? keep us posted.... cw.

[tjigger]

Hey guys the mushroom looking coral sounds like a Toadstool Leather. Its very hardy and needs Medium light.

[emu]

hey what about not enough light... cuz my tanks are in my room and its always dark in my room now especially because theres no sun in the winter? i dont think the fish can see

[tjigger]

Hey EMU,
If your room is always dark you can add some 1 watt LED moon lights so can see your tank at all times.
The led moon lights should run the whole time your Big light bulbs (blue Actinic & daylight) are off.

[emu]

hmm... if only i had an extra outlet on the hood. but would it stress the fish you kno?

[tjigger]

hmm... if only i had an extra outlet on the hood. but would it stress the fish you kno?

Hey EMU,
What are your talking about?? with a extra outlet in the hood.
Most moon lights are only 1in or 2in big and are fairly cheep $20-$50 each, check out the speciality lights under lighting on this website to see what im talking about.

[customcover]

I took a picture of the leather that looks like toad stool mushroom I'll post as soon as I can find the patch cable to download my camera.

MC