Upgrading LEDs, Help Acclimating Corals?

[RedPhotog]

Hello, I’ve looked but can’t seem to find discussions about acclimating corals to stronger lights when hobbyists upgrade to different tanks and lights. 

 

 I am upgrading my nano light from a kessil A80 to an A360w. Reason for the leap is I’m moving things into a bigger tank. I currently have a 12g HOB type system, and I’m upgrading to a waterbox AIO 40.2. I love kessil, my livestock is doing really well, so I wanted to stay with the brand but getting something more powerful. 

 

After I move things over into the waterbox with the new 360, what is the best way to acclimate my corals to minimize stress? 

 

On my 12g, my A80 sits about 5 inches from the water, and the tank is 11 inches deep. The light is only 15w. The waterbox is 18 inches deep, I was thinking of hanging the 360 10 inches from the water surface. 

 

My question is, do I scape everything the way it is or the way I want it, and not move my coral on the sandbed for acclimation? If the 360 is 90w and the a80 is 15w, do I start the acclimation at 15% with the 360? 

 

My light period is 130pm to 11pm, I don’t have any fancy controllers. I keep the spectral knob at around 10 o’clock (in case people are familiar with the kessil knobs) I was planning on matching that position with the 360. 

 

My livestock is 2 montipora - purple haze and sunset encrusting. 1 hydnophora, all three are encrusted on rocks in the top third of my 12g. I blasto mid-bottom, 1 Kenya tree mid-bottom, and 1 elegance coral bottom. 

 

All are extremely healthy and over a year old, growing very well. I’m just upgrading and I have no idea how to acclimate my tank with a stronger light. It’s a lot more powerful compared the a80, night and day really. With about the same positions of corals in the waterbox. Much obliged, thank you for your help if anyone chimes in. Been awhile since I posted anything. 

 

[Clown79]

Best to increase the light by 5% each week.

[RedPhotog]

12 hours ago, Clown79 said:

Best to increase the light by 5% each week.

What percentage should I start with, given that the light I have now is 15w at 100%, and the new light will be 90w?

[mcarroll]

I would mount the new light low enough so that there is zero light being broadcast outside the perimeter of the tanks surface and high enough so that close to 100 pound percent of the surface is covered with light. 

 

Use the intensity knob, not mounting height, to match the old A80's intensity.  

 

(Mounting the light up so high as you suggested would do little more than light up your room like a reef tank — which is actually very bad for your eyes.)

 

If you don't have a Light Meter, whether it be a Lux meter or a PAR meter, this would be the time where you would use it.  

 

First you would measure the intensity of your current light.

Then you would set up your new light and match its intensity level to the old light's with the meter.  It is important that the color be very similar (identical would be best) between the two lights before measuring... it is important for the measuring as well as for your corals. 

 

It is notable that decent handheld lux meters cost only about seven dollars and up. Well worth the cost in my opinion.  While you wait for Shipping, there are also a Luxmeter apps that you can try. I have had decent luck with them but some apps do deliver sketchy results so test yours out before coming to conclusions based on its readings...like see if a sunny day reading more or less matches readings you can find on wikipedia under "lux".

 

If you want to keep it simple, then I would suggest just asking Kessil what intensity level on the 360 would most closely match your old intensity on the 80. I am positive they would be able to give you a good answer and they are very responsive.

 

After at least a week at this matching intensity level, you can begin to increase intensity just like clown said above.

[Clown79]

3 hours ago, RedPhotog said:

What percentage should I start with, given that the light I have now is 15w at 100%, and the new light will be 90w?

I started my Ai Prime at 35% from a par 38. That seemed to work.

 

Watch your corals, they will tell you.

[pokerdobe]

I must be the odd one out. I've never bothered to acclimate corals to new lighting. Slapped on 4 radion xr30 pros, cranked it to 100% and let er rip. 

[RedPhotog]

15 hours ago, pokerdobe said:

I must be the odd one out. I've never bothered to acclimate corals to new lighting. Slapped on 4 radion xr30 pros, cranked it to 100% and let er rip. 

What did you have before the radions?  New corals or new lights?  I am terrified, I have no idea what I am doing.  I was just keeping good water up until now.  Now I have an opportunity to cook them with lights by acting stupid.  

[pokerdobe]

1 hour ago, RedPhotog said:

What did you have before the radions?  New corals or new lights?  I am terrified, I have no idea what I am doing.  I was just keeping good water up until now.  Now I have an opportunity to cook them with lights by acting stupid.  

8 bulb t5. Now I run a hybrid T5-LED set up. 

 

I would stick with what everyone else is saying to be safe. Hate to be the guy that told you to crank it up and get your stuff killed.