Lighting Advice

[wardworld]

Need some advice...I'm changing out my Aquatinic's Solarflare lamps (six bulbs). Earlier, I solicited some opinions as to the spectrum of the lamps and the order, from front to back, that the bulbs should go in. Here's my main dilemma:
When I set it up like a few people have recommended I can NOT control my actinics separately from the rest of the lamps because now in the 2 and 5 lamp-slots, I no longer have actinics, but mid-day bulbs. The solarflare has 2 controls (one for 2 bulbs, one for 4 bulbs).
Main question:
Does everyone have their actinics come on separately than the other lamps? I was bringing the actinics on an hour before the other lamps and going off an hour later - is this a necessity.
Any advice???
Thanks,

 

[lifesworksataol]

you dont have too. i do it so i dont run the mh the whole time to save on electric.

 

[markandkristen]

wardworld all i can say is that day you showed me your tank i was thorougly impressed. the bulb combination you had to me in my book was nice. i guess if thiers a different way to align them up then do it. but i was impressed the way it was

 

[jsl6v8]

I run my actinics longer than my MH but on my 120 I can't control the bulbs seperately so the actinics run the same length of time as the aquasuns (VHO) but then I have my blue leds come on, moonlights, which do help a bit with some of the softer corals.

 

[waterfaller1]

I run my VHO actinics from 8 am to 9 pm on an Icecap 660 ballast. Metal Halides from 11 am to 7 pm on Blueline E-ballasts. I love my actinic only time, the corals pop.

 

[markandkristen]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10732733#post10732733 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by markandkristen
wardworld all i can say is that day you showed me your tank i was thorougly impressed. the bulb combination you had to me in my book was nice. i guess if thiers a different way to align them up then do it. but i was impressed the way it was

oh sorry i didnt even read your post thorougly

i have my actinics come one a hour before as well

i though you were going to change your bulb color

 

[WingnutSr]

I run my actinics seprately. I also have them come on early, and they stay on later. Similar to sunrise, and the opposite in the evening, like sunset.
That and it just looks really cool under actinic only.

 

[sytanek]

We do the same on our tanks, actinics a bit early and also later than the daylight.

 

[gwrench]

Actinics run 12 hours, 50/50's for 9 hours and MH for 7.5 hours
the procedure then reverses.
A peak of 1020 Watts for 7.5 hours on a 120 mixed reef