Corals are wilted

usmc121581

I have been doing this for a while now. All day today everything from my polyps to my sps frags are all wilted. I know they do this every no and then, but it's weird that they would all be doing it at the same time. I figured since I went from around 2.5 wpg to 6.3 wpg that this is the reason. Since I added the new lights I have only keeped them on for about 4 hours but the actinics are on for about 8-9 hours. Yesterday they were fine. The only one that is good is the maxima clam that sits on the sand. I tested the water everything is good the temp is around 79-80 degrees. So whats the deal.

caferacermike

They are probably reacting to the new lighting. How high up from the water is the lighting? What type of timer do you have? Can you make it so the MH comes on for about an hour and then off for an hour for a week or so to help them acclimate better than just having the halides on them continously for 4 hours? Even if you can try 2 hours on 1 hour off 2 hours on that might be a little less stress free. 4 hours on is all some of my reef buddies do in an entire day. Also keep in mind that your corals are now getting their max photo period just handed to them. Before they had to open up in giant sizes (which reduces color intensity) to absorb the light. Now they only need to open to a smaller size to get their fill. Their needs will be met much sooner as well. Keep the actinics on for 12 hours. If you still have the old lights you might want to try switching them on when the halides our off so they still have a long white light period but with different intensities. My corals took about a week to adjust and I had some softies just disappear, but then again I wasn't attached to my Xenia or Athenia. GSP will open smaller but wow that neon green will become intense in a few months. Watch your PH and ALK closely for the next 3 weeks as the lighting may cause the levels to fluctuate when the life forms are exchanging CO2 for O2 at different rates.

usmc121581

I'm going to put them back on the timer when I get to the store. For the fixture I tore apart I had bought extra white and actinic bulbs. So when I tore the fixture apart I just used all the actinics except for one it broke some how. So I have 3 actinic pc's and one daylight now. So what I should do is remove one more actinic and add the other daylight. I home from lunch for 2 hours every day so I'll turn the MH's on then for now.

caferacermike

I was asking if you could still find a way to use the old light fixture to add some regular lighting when the MH are not on. That way it's not 4.5 hours of actinic, 4 hours MH and 4.5 hours actinic again. Maybe more like 2 hours actinic, 3 hours old lighting and actinics, then 2 hours MH and actinics, 3 hours old lighting and actinics and finally 2 hours of actinic. This will simulate a natural daylight peak until you begin adding more MH and less old lighting. Nothing longer than a month.

usmc121581

I do have the old lighting being used. I took out the guts to the fixture and attached them to the canapy on both sides of the MH's. Right now I have 3 actinics and one daylight (10000k) on. I can take one actinic bulb out and insert the other 10000K and put the actinics and daylights back on the timer settings that they were used to. I see what you are talking about: When should I start doing this, should I give them a break from the MH's for like a day.

caferacermike

Oh sorry. I thought you ended up buying an entire hood. For now I'd switch out one more actinic bulb for a spectrum bulb then. I would begin tomorrow. I would not rest from the MH for a day as it could cause further stress (that is if they are even stressed). This way it will be back to "normal" while you begin phasing in the MH and phase out the PC bulbs hours. You'll be back to better than normal in a few days.

The thing to really look for right now is bleaching. If any LPS or SPS lose their colors and become white, they've gotten a sunburn. Yes that's right a sunburn. I'm really just thinking that everything will be back to normal in no time. How do you like hte color spectrums and such? What spectrums are you running and for how long? Brand of bulbs and ballasts?

usmc121581

No I couldn't see myself paying for a hood, So I went to home depot and bought some clearence pressure treated wood. So the hood actually cost less then $14 to make and it looks just like the one I would've got if I bought it.

For the Actinics if was 2-420nm or nh and 2-460nm or nh ( I can't remember which.) which was on from about 10:30am-8:30pm, Then 2 10000k daylight which were on from 12:00-6:30pm. But now I'm going to start the time you stated. As for the MHs. I can't recall the brand name, but the ballast is by Aquatic something. I have to find the stuff that came with it. I'll get back to you on that one.

usmc121581

Now my bubble tip anemone is on the run. It has not moved from this rock since I had it and I have had it for a year now. Could this be from the light to. It's just strange that all this stuff is happening all at the same time, and all I did was a 2 MH's.

caferacermike

I guess try reverting back to your original lighting for 2 days and see if that helps. Then I'd suggest you switch them over very slowly. I've never heard of anyone having this much trouble. How long did you run them today?

usmc121581

I started 9:30-9:30 Actinics
12:30-6:30 Daylights
9:30-2:00 Moon Lights
2:00-4:00 MH's

I had the MH's on for about an hour 1/2 today during lunch, and it look like some of the corals were starting to come back a little. But I turned them off when I went back to work. I think I'll leave the MH's off for about 2 days then slowly raise the time till I hit about 4 hrs a day. What do you think. I found it strange all of a sudden that anenome just uped and moved, Now I worried where its going to stay because of the other corals might get in the way.