Less time on w/new lighting???

[sherman9]

I have had my tank for about 1 1/2 years slowly adding new stuff and seem to be doing good, however i have had only 2 compact 65watt lights running, the other 2 gave out due to some unfix able ballast problems right from the start so there is only one white and one blue for all this time.

i am installing a retrofit kit, two sets of [4*65watt 48'' compacts]
so going from just the two lights for all of this time too eight should i adjust the amount of time the lights are on and slowly increase, or does it matter?

 

[SDMac74]

It won't hurt to run those lights 8 - 12 hrs from the start. How big is your tank and what is in it?

 

[sherman9]

thats abut what i run them at now, click on my tank and just abut every thing should be there w/ the exception of lighting until i finish this new lighting project, i am considering to adding two t5 ho's to the center there will be just enough room in the center''between the new sets.

 

[austinsdad]

Now you're gonna have twice the lighting. Still not a whole lot. Consider doing 4x96w lighting if you like PC's. 10hrs a day is my preference. If you want do do more clorful coral maybe, the 4x whatever is going to be better. Any light strength should still only be limited to 10 hrs max in my opinion (IMO).

What are you keeping as far as coral goes?

 

[austinsdad]

I do hear good things about T5s. What coral do you want?

 

[SDMac74]

Whoa!! My bad. Not sure in a reef tank, but my buddy just went from 100 watt LED's with almost NO Lumen output to 2 175 halides on his 55 reef with same light cycle and its been almost a month with no probs.

 

[sherman9]

Not sure what new additions i will be adding , but there will some new corals soon.. i didn't want to risk getting any more than what i already have with only two lamps working. once i git the new kits installed i plan on shopping for a few new coral....

 

[sherman9]

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[sherman9]

as you can see w/just the two lamps the light is definitely insufficient, the new kits should allow me to add new coral...
I'll post new pics when i get the new lights installed