I'm currently running a single 250 watt radium on a lumenarc reflector over my 80 gallon cube. My water is extremely clear (looks like the fish are suspended in air) due to my filtration devices on the tank. Any time I have my MH running more then 6.5 hours a day my BTA's start bleaching and running for cover. I know that there is a theory in SPS that you can increase your MH time and therefore increase your SPS growth rate by splitting up your light cycle and run your MH's something like 4 hours on and 4 hours off etc. Any comments on MH light cycles for BTA's? I would very much like to increase the amount of time my MH's are on.
MH photo period and BTA's
- Thread starter hypnoj
- Start date
Tmoriarty
New member
I have my MH's on in my tank (250w x3) for a total of 9 hours with no problems. My BTA's do not move whatso ever. Perhaps the problem lies elswhere? Do you have numerous BTA's in your tank, some of them do not match up well with eachother and cause some chemical warfare even though they are the same E. quad family.
I do have multiple BTA's of different families, but I've had them together for over a year now and they do great together until I increase my photo period.
Ron Reefman
Active member
I have 2 RBTA in my 180g DT with 4 250w MH (2 15K and 2 10K). The 15K lights are on for 10 hours and the 10k lights are on for 8 hours. The RBTA's are about 2/3's of the way down in the tank, haven't moved in about a year and just split about 2 weeks ago. They have great color and I don't spot feed them more than once or twice a month. I also have 2 small percula clowns, but they don't seem interested in the RBTA's at all.
I have 4 or 5 GBTA's in a 240g under 2 250w mh's. I've noticed over the years that none of them like the direct light. They tend to position themselves around like the edges of the direct light path. Mine stay put till one splits then occasionally the 2 "new" ones will kind of shuffle around until they get a little space between them. If one happens to wander directly under one of the mh's it seems to quickly move out of it a bit. Do yours have anywhere to go to not be directly under the light?
I've noticed with my H. Crispa too if I move him directly under the bulb he'll almost instantly scootch over to be out of the direct path.
I've noticed with my H. Crispa too if I move him directly under the bulb he'll almost instantly scootch over to be out of the direct path.
No I don't. That may be my problem. I think I have too much light coming down. I really only have 1 anemone that likes to be in the center of the tank under the MH, all the others skirt the outsides. So back to my original question. Do you think it would be a benefit or a hindrance to make my lights come on for only 4 hours, then off for 4 hours, then back on for 4 hours or something like that?
