Lighting

[mbeach66]

Hey guys, i got new powercompact lights and im wondering if i switch over from flourescent to these new lights are any precautions needed? (ie. reduced lighting periods, raising the lights a few inches over the aquarium, etc.) i tried to switch over lights and kept time of lighting per day all the same and a successive amount of green algae formed and most of my fish died. so i went back to the flourescents and cleaned my tank now here i am 1 month later scared to put them back on. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Thanks guys,
MBEACH

[KillBill75]

Well the first question is you went from what Wattage to what Wattage?
The green algae I can understand but the fish dying due to Powercompacts?! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazyeyes.gif Sounds very wierd! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/coolalien.gif
Did the water temp rise at all when you were using the PC's? PC's just like regular flourecent essentially, and should not cause this unless the wattage increased dramatically.

[mbeach66]

wattage went from 20 to 110. and the fish dying i might be able to account for by not keeping up with the water cahnge in this stressful time for them. my bad /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

please reply back with info on putting the new PC's back on /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[mbeach66]

anyone have any thoughts?? im still puzzled about putting them back on. i didn't have a protein skimmer at the time i put them on, and i do now, and have had it going strong for about 1/2 a month. could that have been the problem??

[brody98]

If you have any rock in your tank the lighting wouldn’t kill the fish, did you change anything at or near the time that you changed the lights?

[brody98]

It can’t be the lights, unless your temperature went up from them real quick. If that is not the case, put them on and run them

[mbeach66]

im thinking the rapid production of Green Algae must have killed them, lack of Oxygen maybe? keep in mind i didn't do a water change on this rapid production of Green algae. My concern is if the lights will produce this Algae again and how can i avoid it.

[mbeach66]

My concern is if the lights will produce this Algae again and how can i avoid it.

[brody98]

Is it hair type algae that attaches to everything or does the water itself turn green within a day or so of turning the lights on?

[mbeach66]

just Normal Green Algae.

[brody98]

I’m assuming that the pc lights are a pair of 55w bulbs, but are they 50/50 or 10,000k's and another dumb question, are the bulbs new or used? I know you said the lights are new but I'm just making sure you didn’t mean new to you.

[mbeach66]

I put them back on, and im slowly working my way up to 8 hours a day and so far no Algae break out.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/peace.gif

[brody98]

If your on track with your water changes I think you will be fine. Enjoy the new lights