Lighting schedule help please!!!

rob020880

Active member
Hello, I have just finished setting up a new tank. I will be filling it with water soon. The only dilemma I have is with the light cycle. I have read in books that 12hours per day is good. Is this right? can they be on longer?

Heres my situation though, I live in a bright condo with eastern exposure. The room with the eastern exposure is also where the tank is located. No direct sunlight hits the tank because it faces away from the light. But it is a quartercylinder tank and it is exposed to a bright room from sun up.

I want to have my aquarium lit so that the final light goes off and the moonlights come on at about 10:00-10:30pm. If I have my controller start turning lights on after 10:00am will this cause problems for the fish\corals or will they still think that its night\dawn? What would anyone suggest? I am using two 250 watt DE metal halides and four t5's as actinics and moonlights. Thanks in advance.
 
Shouldn't be a problem. My lighting schedule is somewhat similar, and the fish don't become very active until the actinics turn on.
 
Guys with your type of setup usually have the T-5's come on for 2 hours, then 8 hours of MH, then 2 more hours of the T-5's covering 12 hours but just 8 with MH lighting, saves heat and electricity. Of course depending on your setup and choice of corals something else may be better.
 
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