Xenia shrunk after new lights

R

redcoat94

I know most people consider xenia to be the weed of the reefing work, but since I just upgraded to MH a couple of weeks ago, its one of the few corals I have so I'd like to keep it alive. :eek: That leads to my question. Ever since I upgrade my lights (from 2 96 watt PC to 3 250 watt MH + VHO actininc) my xenia went from opening up to huge treelike proportions to barely opening at all. The pulsing polyps don't open and most are retracted to the point of looking like they are gone. Its been this way for 3 weeks. How long can they stay like that? I am still running a reduced lighting cycle (8 hours actinic and 6 MH) I am working my way slowly to 12 hours and 10 hours. Thanks for any help
 
You need to get some light diffuser from Homedepot and put it over your tank until the corals get used to the light. The MH is very intense and can basically burn up you xenia. Use the light diffuser for a couple of weeks and then you can take it out. :D
 
thanks Bill. Actually, when I first got the lights, I also bought door screen material and put 3 sheets on top of the tank. I took one off after 2 weeks and then the other 2 after another week. I wanted to do it a little slower, but I was having some major algae problems. Somewhere in here my timeline is off too. I gues I have had the MH clser to 5 weeks
 
We are they in the tank? If you can move them down to the bottom and out from directly under the MH. They like light but not intense light.

Cheers!
 
Xenia needs a little longer than most to adapt to the new light, IME The shrinking is a sign of stress.
 
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