Metal Halide/ too much/ wont open

[Generalx5]

I just got a metal halide fixture yesterday.

To be specific....its an
Aqualight Advanced Series HQI Metal Halide Fixture

Aqualight Advanced Series HQI Metal Halide Fixture - Google Images


Anyways, two patches of the button ployps wont open, and the ones that are open look really ugly, like half open.... the mushroom coarls are doing okay on the side without the light directly at it, the parts where light is strongest is not fully inflated.

My question is, is my 150watt lamp too bright for a 10 gallon tank, fuge and sump are aother 20 gallons, so total water is 30 gallon, but the main display is 10 gallon.

is there a period where these corals have to adapt to the new lighting? Im just afraid the intensity might kill them off.... the bulb i have is at 14000k bulb.

Perior to this upgrade i was using a 20" Coralife power compact power strip with a quad 50/50 at 96watts.

maybe its time for a bigger tank....

[bavass]

I think for corals you want 8-10 watts per gallon and thats at depths of 18". I would say a 150watt light is to much for a 10 gallon tank. That would be 15 watts per gallon. IMO! I am no expert so wait and see if Melosu responds. He is awsome and has helped me out a lot. Right many people have helped me on this forum so you should get you answer.

[AMDPhenomX4]

I would personally shade the corals and reduce the lighting. Then slowly raise the lighting period from a few hours to around 3/4 of the previous lighting. Then get some mesh to cover the tank and bring the corals slowly out. Remove the mesh once the corals are doing good.

[melosu58]

I personally think it is too much lighting. For sure you need to acclimate your tank to the new lighting. Yes the bigger tank idea is a good one.

[Markstanfill]

Raise the fixture a foot or two. I realize its a clip on I guess, but just suspend it if you can. Find your sweet spot.

[Generalx5]

Thats something hard to do...if I raised it my floor would be lit.....:P ahhaha Im running this lamp in my room with a desklight, its soo bright!

[Generalx5]

water parameters are really good. I only have 1 false nemo in the tank and 2 cleaners and a pepermint shrimp and a bunch of snails to eat green algae...

My ammonia is 0 because 15 minutes later the water was still yellow, the nitrate is about 0 to 2.5 and nitrite about 0.05

Using phosban and activated carbon with calcium strongtium, iodine doses. Along with a general metals supliment that shotguns a lot of trace metals.
..