Light Timing Opinions

[brbegle]

Just wanted to hear some general opinions from the AZ Reef Keepers. I used to keep my PCs on a constant timer - on at 6:30 AM and off at 6:30PM - I liked the solid twelve hours. Again, that was with power compacts and softies only.

Now that I'm running MHs, I like to enjoy them a bit more and I'd like to see the tank lit other than just the AM - I have my timers on my lights now set to turn on at 6:30 AM and off at 8:00 AM, back on at 1:00 PM and off at 8:00 PM. I'm not sure if this is unhealthy for the system (still just keeping a tank full of softies), or if the regularity is enough. Any opinions for successful keepers?

As always, thanks a million everyone! Brad

 

[brbegle]

Other quick one - is this 8.5 hours enough time for the system to be lit ... keeping in mind that I'm running the 2 x 250W MHs ... (Chris tells me they're running at nearly 600 Watts, however.) What do ya say?!

 

[auntdeb]

We have a 125 g with 3 MH's plus the actinics and the moonlights. After doing some research we found that at about 4 hours is when the process of algae growing begins. We were having some issues with green slime on the glass that we'd have to clean a few times every day. So what we do now is we run the actinics for 12 hours (8 to 8). The moonlights are on for the other 12 (8pm - 8 am). Then the MH's are on for 8 hours with a 1 hour shut down right at the 4 hour mark. They are on from 10 - 6. We honestly noticed a big difference with algae growth. Now we can clean the glass once every other day or so. The idea is that you never give the algae enough time to grow....just when the process would start you have the shutdown and then it would take 4 hours to start the process again which is when the lights go out for the night. Don't know if this is confusing how I worded it but hope it helps anyway.

 

[LOTUS50GOD]

Corals need rest just like you....

I would run a photo period of 8-12 hours. It does not matter what 12 hours so you can have a reverse photoperiod (4 pm to 4 am) to enjoy viewing... but let you corals rest.

I would have to disagree with auntdeb about the algea. Algea will grow if you have excess nutrients in the tank and is not completely related to light. I run 900W of MH for 13.5 hours a day and only have to scrape my glass 3-4 times a week; just to keep the coralline from growing on the acrylic. Having a balanced system will allow for extra nutrients to be consumed by your skimmer and/ or biological filter and compete with algea for food. Eliminate the food and eliminate the problem

 

[brbegle]

I should restate this a bit - do I need to worry about the interuption of the light cycle. It comes on in the morning for 2 hours, turns off and then back on at 1 PM to 9 PM, staying on for 8 hours straight. It is then off for the entire night - 9 PM to 6:30 AM ... any other thoughts here. Algae has not been a problem, I just want to make sure I'm not affecting them by teasing them with the light in the morning...

 

[lhoo]

I wouldn't interrupt the light, its not natural.

I just run my lights from 12-10pm.