Many of the corals and other sessile invertebrates we keep in reef aquariums are considered “photosynthetic,” meaning much of their nutrition is produced by photosynthetic algae (zooxanthellae) residing in their tissues. Thus, there is a direct link between the type and intensity of a reef aquarium’s lighting and the health—or even survival—of the corals and other invertebrates it contains. However, it’s very important to understand that corals acclimated to a certain level of lighting can be severely stressed if they’re suddenly exposed to higher-intensity lighting. This commonly happens when: A specimen kept under subpar (no pun intended) lighting during shipping or in a dealer’s tank is newly introduced to a brightly lit aquarium. The reef system’s lighting has just been upgraded, for example from fluorescents to metal halides or LEDs. The hobbyist waits too long to replace aging bulbs or tubes. Dissolved organic compounds that cause yellowing of the water are suddenly removed (e.g., via chemical filtration with activated carbon). So how can you avoid photoshocking your invertebrates? Here are six ways: 1) Research your inverts’ lighting requirements Photosynthetic invertebrates vary widely with respect to their lighting needs More: 6 Ways to Prevent Photoshock in Aquarium Corals… More:
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