Light Shock?

[R3verb]

Hey guys, I had some algae issues a couple days ago (started the tank about a month ago so I am guessing just natural cycle). I am going to turn the lights back on tomorrow and I was wondering if I should just turn them back on or if I need to do it slowly like an acclimation. I have the AI Sol lights so everything is on timers and dims over 45 min periods so there is no BLAM light just slow increases that correspond to the natural light here in town. Any suggestions?

 

[Smitty]

I'd just turn them on for a few hrs a day, and then gradually increase the time they're on each day.

 

[little_fish]

I would be especially careful to reacclimatize with those LEDs, they put out so much PAR you could easily torch your corals.

 

[R3verb]

PAR?

lol I only have one coral :(. Soon though! I am going for Akros when the tank stabilizes.

 

[little_fish]

Photosynthetic active radiation - a measure of the amount of usable light the corals are receiving

And you could probably go back to full lights, but keep the one coral you do have under a ledge and slowly bring it back out into full light at the sandbed.

 

[R3verb]

Also, the tank looks pretty murky after being dark for the last few days. Is this normal? LF he is under a ledge so he won't get direct light. I have 2 banks of the AI Sols and love them. I hope they will do well for SPS in the future.

 

[little_fish]

They should, I have heard only good things about them

 

[marcah]

they will easily work for SPS later, the one thing you are going to have to watch is bleeching or melting the SPS due to the par they put off at shallow depths... Make sure to acclimate them well..