******Help with Lighting******Urgent

[sts04c]

So I have a 24 JBJ with 2 36 watt 50/50 PC's. I just bought a Halide 150 watt. I put it on the tank, and it ran for 5 hours. Majority of corals where shrunk completely up. Turned light off immediately as I noticed. LFS guy said reaction to intense light, he suggested to start with 4 hours and increase by 20 min daily, and dose 1ml iodide. Any other suggestions or flaws with this idea? Also had any one had prior experience? Please let me know any help would be great, kinda would suck to lose all the corals, let alone the investment. Please help and thank you in advance for any advice.

Scott

 

[weaglereefer]

Any way you can make the light higher up, like 2ft off the water, and lower it down over several days to weeks.

 

[hn1]

Or place something semi-opaque between the light and surface of the water and gradually remove it.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Dosing iodine seems weird to me-period. Iodine is a very caustic substance, so I wouldnt suggest dosing it when the animals are stressed. I would start even lower with the photoperiod, or break it up (30 minutes, 5 or 6 times a day).

 

[theplatypus]

Here's a 3rd opinion on dosing iodine. It can get out of hand with a quickness. Great rule of thumb. If you're not testing for it, don't dose it. A lot of these things are meant to be trace elements and are replenished via water changes.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Iodide and iodine are the same, with an ionic (electron) difference. Iodide is actually two iodines moleciules.

 

[son of adam]

jmaneyapanda;378343 wrote: Iodide and iodine are the same, with an ionic (electron) difference. Iodide is actually two iodines moleciules.

Thanks for the clarification. I have wondered about that.

 

[hn1]

jmaneyapanda;378337 wrote: Dosing iodine seems weird to me-period. Iodine is a very caustic substance, so I wouldnt suggest dosing it when the animals are stressed. I would start even lower with the photoperiod, or break it up (30 minutes, 5 or 6 times a day).

This is probably the best advice so far and something I'll plan to follow when I go from T5HO to 400W MH. Thanks for posting it Jeremy. I didn't think of it, but should have.

 

[dannybradley]

Iodine and iodate are functionally, quite different, as is iodate. Iodine converts to iodide within our aquariums and should be the only iodine form should be dosed.

Dosing iodide can help corals adapt to more intense lighting. They take in iodide and fix oxygen to it, creating iodate. This helps coral deal with over active zooxanthellae producing too much oxygen. Iodate can revert back to iodide in the water column.

All forms of iodine are rapidly removed through protein skimming, but this is not an excuse to overdose. It exists at .06 mg/l in NSW. Some aquaculture facilities will run it siginificantly higher while having the ability to accurately test for it. We should avoid exceeding 1 mg/l in our home aquariums.

The best advice regarding dosing it was small amounts several times a day, while not exceeding the daily recommedations set by the manufacturer.

Read Marine Chemistry by Chris Brightwell for a more indepth explanation.

 

[jeep9783]

if you have a piece of acrylic or piece of gass just to sit on top of the tank to take away some intensity of the light i would do this...that is what i am having to do to my frag tank

 

[sts04c]

Everyone I appreciate the help. I will purchase a plexiglass top tomorrow from lowes after they custom cut it. I have also kept the photo period to 4 hours for now and will increase little by little on a weekly basis. Also the light is as high as the clamp will allow.

Question though: Will the corals continue to be "burned"? or is the damage from the initial shock all I should see if I run a shorter photo period that the period I did on the day of the initial shock?

 

[sts04c]

Everyone thank you for the inputs and advice. The corals are looking better daily. The Duncanc came out, not literally, and the acans are showing color again. Thanks a bunch everyone.
Scott

 

[dannybradley]

Glad to help and hear that's its turning around.