Switching from T5 to Mh questions

In the hopes of a better tank and colors in the tank I upgraded the lights from the sundial extream T5 to a new MH light. The difference between the two are 6 lights on the t5 to 3 150watt MH bulbs with 8 actintic. So in hopes of not stressing out the tank how long should I run these lights to get the tank to sdjust to them? I dont want to just blast them with 10 hrs a day but what is a good start? I hope with all these that the corals will look nicer and the tank should be substantially brighter.

 

I think you made a good decision. While T5s are great, MH lamps provide a shimmer you can't get with flourescent tubes.

It might not be a bad idea to cut back daylight to 80% of what you exposed the corals to with the T5 scenario. I'd keep the actinics the same.

For example, if you utilized the T5 actinics for 12 hours; and the daylight T5s for 8, then run the actinic component of your MH fixtures for the same 12 hours, but the halides for just 6 hours daily at first.

There's no reason why you can't over time use the same lighting schedule with MH's as you do now with the T5's. Just start gradually. Providing you have your parameters in check and your tank otherwise thrives--your corals should fare even better than they do presently.

Good luck!

 

You could be doing 3 x 250w HQI or 3 x 400w MH with your 220 gallon. Do you think 150w MH is going to be enough light penetration?
To answer your ?, it depends on how much increase in the PAR or intensity of the new lights. Since they're just 150w, it might not be huge deal? You could use a physical screen to block some of the light and gradually increase it as you go from 4 up to 6 hrs per day. Why are you planning on running MH 10 hrs a day? It's not a coral growth tank is it? Going up gradually will also help you keep the heat the MH bulbs generate in check.

 

I agree it should be a 250 but I have to say its a brand new fixture that I have been given. I cant complain about free. I do have some corals at the top of the tank and the new rock work is about 8-10 inchec from the top and this is where they sit. I have a couple easy corals towards the bottom but nothing to that requires much light. I want to have some coral but im not growing corals like crazy so I did not thing much about the 150w. I figured it would be a good step up either way from the current setup i have now. Plus new and free? got to love free in this expensive hobby.

 

3. 150's on a 220 will do little and 8 Actinics are totally unnecessary unless they are 2ft bulbs ? I'd not consider less then 3. 250's D.E or 3. 400' be they Mogul or D.E lamps myself . Actually if you are using 6 or 8 T5's now then you will be backing up .

 

Interesting. I have a 2 sundial extream 36 in lights on it now.

 

The 220 I ever had where like 25"x30" tall and at that depth a 150 will do little for the very bottom , If you do go with the 150 at least get the Galaxy 175w electronic ballast and really good reflector fixtures to get as much from the lamps as possible and run longer photo periods if you want to try and keep more difficult corals then the simple softs .

As for the shimmering effect the wattage creates that also more wattage more shimmering I saw wattage but then again the lamp reflectors also contribute to this also.. I myself find that at 30" of depth 250's will do But if you want Clams or LPS corals setting on the lower parts then 400's would be my choice I myself would not bother setting up anything less then 400's on a 30" deep tank.