Light schedule

[FTReef]

I have a Maxpect Recurve and am wondering if this is an ok light schedule for keeping corals and fish. I have not yet added corals but want to make sure I'll be providing a hospitable environment.

I read 8-10 hours is appropriate to have the lights on but I can't find any guidelines on intensity. I started with one of the preprogrammed light mix where the program just asks for an on / off time, then modified the program to ramp up from off starting at 0700, peaking to where the on/off setting went to at 1200 to 1500 then ramping back down to off at 2300. I figured that simulates a sunrise, full intensity at midday then dimming to sunset and moonlight before going pitch black.

Is this the right way to look at it or am I going to need full light for 8-10 hours?

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

That is how it works with full sunlight for up to 6 hrs.
Your schedule as you posted is 16 hrs.
Many use shorter ramping up & down times.

 

[FTReef]

Thanks Vinny....so is a shorter full sunlight period make the longer lights on period ok or am I better off with a longer high intensity period but a shorter lights on cycle?

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Depends on how you view the tank for the hours you are up.
I start @10 AM allowing ambient lighting to start sunrise because I get up late.
Corals can only use so much light before it becomes unusable so a long "high light " makes no sense just wastes electricity.