ok, so after all this time in the hobby, I finally took the plunge from book smarts to application and bought some nice SPS.

I have Stylophora, Acropora, and Echinophylla, also some blastomusa, palythoa, and i am babysitting some awesome zoanthids for cpreefguy.

So, here are my questions:

Store Lighting - 400 watt 20K

My Lighting - 250 watt 10K HQI (double ended) Ushio

so, my first rookie mistake, was assuming that my 250K MH was not as bright as the 400 wat 20K, I think that the fact I am running a smaller tank, and I haven't mounted my lights 6" off the aquarium yet, are big factors (It's about 3 inches off the glass right now) and yes, I am using a glass top because I don't have time to deal w/ evaporation if I don't.

so, the casualty, was a little bleaching of a 'ultra pink' stylophora. it only bleached on the top, so I am assuming this means it didn't like the lighting, so I moved it further down the tank and reduced my photo-period to 4 hours a day for now. (the tank does get natural sunlight as well.)

the second problem, was that one of my snails (probably a super tongan as they are bulls in a china shop when food is in the water) pushed one of cpreefguys' zoo frags onto the blasto, the main blasto colony has receeded for 2 days now, but appears to be coming back. i have observed chemical warfare. yay for me. Sean, no worries, your zoo's are doing great.

ok, so for now, I have the stylophora moved lower in the tank, and the photo period reduced to 4 hours a day, next week I will increase it to 6.

once I am up to a full blown photo period (8 to 10 hours) I will start moving the stylo up into a position I'd like to keep it in.

Also, I won't be increasing the photo period until i get my new chiller plumbed in. (forgot two elbows at lowes darn it!!!) because I had a spike to 84 on sunday, I have been running steady at 78 w/ a shorter photo period so the halide is definately fueling the heaet (no suprise).

So, am I taking the right steps? pretty sure I am just wanna confirm.