Lighting Question

[mluntz]

Right now I am running a simple 2 way LED light with just a white and blue daylight setting and a blue moonlight setting. I have no corals yet to speak of, but I was wanting to try some cheap softies to experiment with. What time sequences would be the best and should I go completely dark at night?

 

[Mark Bianco]

I will assume that your lights are not dimmable? If not this what I would do. I would run the lights for 8 hours a day, but first buy enough screen to cover the top of your tank 4 layers. The first week run the lights then every week remove one layer until the corals are light acclimated. This way as in nature the corals get at least 8 hours of lighting but have a chance to adjust to the intensity of the led lighting.

Mark

 

[mluntz]

If I buy a dimmer for the lights, then what? And what about the tank going completely dark at night?

 

[Mark Bianco]

First thing you need to find out if your leds have drivers capable of dimming some do not IMHO if you would have to buy new dimmable drivers and rewire the whole lighting fixture. Then it would either be best to do as I described earlier or buy or make your own dimmable fixture. As far as lighting goes I run my lights for 8 hours per day with 1 hour ramp up and down. Then from midnight to 600am I run just the royal blue leds at 2% for moon lighting. Then off until 400pm

Mark