250W Halides advice on a light cycle?

[Adv4Justice]

New Tank-
90g 48"Length x 21"Height x 18"Depth
LRock and Live Sand only at this point

New Coralife (Aqualight) Light Fixture (all in one w/ fans) includes
48" 696 watt
2-250 watt HQI (Metal Halides)
2-96 watt actinic blue compact fluorescent bulbs
4 LED 1 Watt Moon Lights
('') My future's so bright I gotta wear shades!

I can place them on timers individually as there are 2 separate MH ballasts-plugs, 1plug for the Actinic bulbs, 1 for the moonlight.

I need to decide what the light cycle should be and I was hoping for some input. I would like to have the best possible Coraline growth now while I prepare for first fish ( thinking Percula) then move into soft corals w/ community fish and move into SPS corals. Any advice on an appropriate lighting schedule so I optimize without burning?

 

[Stanley-Reefer]

Same thing on my 90, but with 150s. I have 3 250s in my 175 and run the same light cycle in both tanks

Actinics on an hour before MH, MH on for 10h, actinics on an hour after, lunars on 2 hours then darkness, lunars on 2 hours before dawn actinics.

That is going to be bright! I have lots of sps thriving under my150s!

 

[Adv4Justice]

I hope it's gonna be an excellent tropical reef tank....Thanks for the advice- doesanyone out there have the 250W MH? If so how big is your tank and have you had any problems with burning?

 

[thegrun]

I run close to the same schedule as SR. Moon 2 hours before Actinic, Actinic for 12 hours, MH come on 2 hours after actinic and run for 8 hours, the actinic run for another 2 hours after the mH turn off, then the moonlights come back on for 2 hours.

You will need to slowly acclimate most corals over a one to two week period if they are to sit up near the surface of your tank (unless they are coming out of a very bright tank. Start them off low and gradually move them up the rock work, or some people cover the top of the tank with a couple of fiberglass window screens and remove one a week.

 

[Adv4Justice]

Ahhh....I haven't been using the glass cover to reduce possibility of overheating the water ( per recommendation from my LFS) If I had that glass lightly tinted and used it for a week or so would that help acclimate new arrivals?

 

[Reefy.Dave]

I've been using 2x 250 watt MH 14k on an exact dimension tank as yours. No problems with burning but it took some time for corals to adjust. I just run a fan across the top keeps it at norma; temp; evap is alot but thats what my 50g top off supply is for !

 

[tipmoff]

You can also use screening and cut them in pieces that are the size of the top. Cut several layers and start with 3 layers or so. Then every 3 or 4 days take a layer off until they are gone. Worked for me several weeks ago when I got a new 250w MH's.

 

[imcosmokramer]

I run T5's from 8am to 8pm and MH's from 10am to 5pm. Seems to work.