Help! changed my lighting and my lps hate it!

[CAT]

I have an LPS/ softies tank. It's an Oceanic 40 gal stretch hex (30" wide). I changed my lighting around Christmas. I went from a Coralife 2X 65w pc hood (1 daylight/ 1 actinic) to the Coralife Pro (2X65w actinic and 1 10k, 150w DE MH bulb). I did this for two reasons - the bubble coral and others were stretching for the light, and the color of the corals sucked. :roll:

Now I have a bigger problem - none of the lps like this light. I've got the actinics on for 12 hrs a day and the 150w 10k MH for 4 hours a day. Even after only 4 hours, the lps are shrinking. Now, I've spent a wack of money on this new lighting and I like the color of the corals a lot better, but I need to find a better combination of bulbs.

I don't think these corals are going to adapt to the new 10k MH. It's been over 6 weeks and they're still not happy. I didn't think I was upgrading that much but I'm thinking that the maybe the double-ended bulbs are indeed more powerful than 150w, as some reefers have suggested.

My question: Would I be better off switching the 10K to 14k or 20K? I've done some searches but most of the discussion is on the visual preferences rather than the reactions of the corals. I need to tone down the intensity, any suggestions welcome.

Thanks in advance

 

[Anonymous]

Where are the LPS. IF they are not near the bottom put them there. Are you haveing other isses?

 

[CAT]

Hi Wazzell,

No other issues that I know of. This tank's been running for almost 4 years in different forms - several moves etc.

I've moved the lights up, the corals down, shaded them, put screens on the glass top etc, etc. My problem is that I like my lps/ softies tank, so I'd rather not have all my corals at the bottom. :wink: I'm looking for a way to use the new lighting to improve the tank rather than change it to higher light corals.

 

[Unarce]

Like you said, most of the reasoning behind the switch to higher kelvin bulbs is for aesthetics. You will find that corals mostly utilize wavelengths in the blue spectrum for photosynthesis, with the red spectrum being a distant second. I think a switch to at least a 14K bulb will make a difference.

 

[Anonymous]

Once they get use to the new light you can bring them back up or you could continue with the higher light position and slowly lower it. HOw high is your light now. Normal opperation for most MH are in the 10-14 inches about the water. If you are still getting the tank use to the new light I would go for 16-18inches.

 

[CAT]

The hood is about 10 inches above the tank right now. I'd guess the bulb is about 12 inches above the tank. This canopy has a lens over the mh bulb and on each pc actinic. There's also a glass cover on the tank.

This is what the hood looks like:
http://www.hellolights.com/24aqpr1x15hq.html

I guess I could try a 20k bulb and not bother with the actinics - maybe less total wattage for a while would also help.

 

[Unarce]

Eventually, you'll be able to lower your lights. It's a pretty big jump in intensity. A 150W DE is practically as intense as a 250W mogul. Personally, I would use both the 20K and actinics together. It'll be good for the overall health and appearance of the corals.

 

[CAT]

Thanks for the help I'm ordering a 20K bulb. Should make my lps happier.