Time to change bulbs

[eddi]

Hi all,

 

The bulbs on my 125 are somewhere between 9 and 10 months old and I am going to replace them this weekend.  Last year I had a disaster when I went through the same process; I never truly figured out why but I assume it was the fact that I used the Coralvue bulbs when they were manufactured with the glass too thin, coupled with the fact I did not acclimate the new bulbs at all.

 

I am currently using XMs, two 10k and one 20k and will replace with same.  My plan is to replace them Friday night, I will run them three days for fours hours; the next three days for 6 hours; three more days at 8 hours and finally move up to 10.

 

Does that sound appropriate?  Should I split the hours between morning and afternoon (2 and 2 the first three days, 3 and 3 the next three and so on...) or does that matter?  Any other suggestions?

 

 

Thanks.

[GaryL]

could another approach be just to change one bulb at a time ie: 1 one week then another the next week. that way the animals are not shocked as fast with the new hues, and the intensity gradually increases. just a thought, Gary HTH

[miller]

also can you raise them up some then gradually bring htem back down

[flowerseller]

I add a new bulb a week until I'm done.

Chip

[Tri Bui]

Eddi,

 

There is a good artical on RC about how to aclimate new bulbs for your tank,  Most people using windows scence and put it b/w the new MH and tank. They put 4 layers and removed a layer a week still run the MH regular hrs 8 or 9 Good luck!

[eddi]

Thanks for all the responses.

 

Chip and Gary, what is the advantage of doing one bulb at a time?  My impression was that the acclimation was to protect corals from going from an old, weak bulb to a new, bright one.  If I replace one without acclimation, won't the corals under that bulb be shocked?  Why would one at a time be any different than all three at once?

 

Miller, unfortunately my bulbs are in a canopy and I can't raise and lower them.

 

Don, I will do a search on RC abd see if I can find that thread.

 

 

Thanks again everyone.

[flowerseller]

My belife is it spreads the new brightness out over several weeks. If you hadn't changed them in several years I might do one eveery two weeks. This is just what I do and seems to be fine for my corals.

Chip

[GaryL]

if you replace them one at a time then the par shift is just gradual. and you could leave your light on normal cycle, if you did them all at once then the par shift would be too drastick then you would have to acclimate them, i wonder which way would interupt the balance more, being the photo period, this is just my thinking on it, i the hope the more experience reefers chime in to affirm chips and my statement, or tell us we are nuts, at least it would be no new news for me :P  it may just be a matter of preference.

[flowerseller]

Well I think your nuts Gary, but it that has nothing to do with your tank.

:p

[Tri Bui]

Eddi,

 

Go into RC search under ACCLIMATE LIGHT on all forums you will see some of the expert choices.

http://reefcentral.com/forums....e+light

I found some hope it will help!

[GaryL]

Well I think your nuts Gary, but it that has nothing to do with your tank.

:p

wow my wife just agreed with you  gvl]]

[GaryL]

oh yeah please post what you do on your replacement bulbs, thanks

[krish]

Eddi,

Knowing the way the canopy on the 125 is fixed, i would go with the

multiple layers of screen.

 

One of my XM10K got cracked. Just caught it in time before it exploded.

This was the one that came from Hello Lights. Anyway, after i just

swapped it out with a new one, a week later, my tenius is not happy.

 

The very same tenius that has done well under 6500K sakis and then

the 10K XM is kind of withdrawn. Hope it survives. I have moved it to

a spot where the intensity is less.

 

Nevertheless, i read an article that all it takes is 30 minutes for

photo inhibition to occur. Keeping the lights off for 45 minutes did not

help recover.

So the best protection is to go with one week of swap out at a

time for each new lamp and in addition, the area lit by the lamp

should go thru the 3 or 4 layer eggcrate shield. A small insurance to

avoid a meltdown.

 

-krish