shorter photo period = faster growth

Another question - Are any one also shortning their ACTINICS period as well as their MH?

In my opinion, I'd think that you need to do both. If you shorten the MH, then the corals are still taking in light from the actinics. Wouldn't you want complete darkness?
 
I haven't read this whole thread but Bomber was doing this about 5 years ago. He was only running his halides 2 hours a day.........supplementals were like 8 hours. I believe he had a couple of Ho flourescent on a 200 galon tank as his supplemental lighting.

It's funny people now are deciding this is a good idea.
 
I've definitely noticed a difference in the colors and growth of my corals after shortening to the MH photo period to 5 hours and the Actinics to 10 hours. Ony of my corals that was completely brown with neon green (the natural colors are blue, and white with green polyps) is now getting it's blue back. Also I'm seeing more flouresence in my Milli's. Thank god for this thread! :)
 
I can't get into a big discussion about it but I have to put in my 2 cents. I definitely have seen photo-inhibiting within my system due to the massive amount of light I give my tank. The upside is a reef in which anemones and corals can live side-by-side, because (IMO) the anemones have no lack of light. They do not need to cruise around looking for more, and are very comfortable, healthy, and large in 35" of water.

The downside is slow coral growth and the ocassional loss of a colony. It seems once they get to a certain mass, they tend to go up in smoke.
 
My thoughts... Could this be?

During longer photoperiods the zooxanthallae stresses out (bleaches), and much of it is expelled or never acquired and therefore the coral has less color. The available nutrients are lowered due to fewer zooxanthallae, this results in slower growth. Coral polyp extension is less since it is not needed.

Shorter photoperiods, coral acquires higher concentration of zooxanthallae and "colors up". Higher internal algae levels = higher nutrient level, so better growth is possible. Polyp extension increases in order to receive more light.
 
I've been running my lights on a shorter lighting period for the past year. When I upgraded from Spider reflectors to Lumenbrights, the PAR was so greatly increased that I knew I couldn't run them as long as in the past.

"High noon" over my tank is only 3.5 hours a day. That is when all the lights are on. The lights are running on a staggered pattern, allowing me to enjoy my reef all day long. Each MH is on for 6 hours, and they overlap one another.

Here's my tank from April 08
fts_280g_0413.jpg


And here it is from April 09
fts_042409.jpg


My tank has exhibited better growth due to the increased PAR. Of that I have no doubt. Running the MH bulbs about 33% less than what I ran in the past simply saved me some electricity each month, but the corals never seemed to suffer one iota from this decision.

Other factors cannot be omitted though: PO4 and NO3 has always been an issue in my tank, but I've been working very hard to keep these under control. I've been dosing Vodka for 9.5 months, which has helped immensely.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14930433#post14930433 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
I've been running my lights on a shorter lighting period for the past year. When I upgraded from Spider reflectors to Lumenbrights, the PAR was so greatly increased that I knew I couldn't run them as long as in the past.

"High noon" over my tank is only 3.5 hours a day. That is when all the lights are on. The lights are running on a staggered pattern, allowing me to enjoy my reef all day long. Each MH is on for 6 hours, and they overlap one another.

Here's my tank from April 08
fts_280g_0413.jpg


And here it is from April 09
fts_042409.jpg


My tank has exhibited better growth due to the increased PAR. Of that I have no doubt. Running the MH bulbs about 33% less than what I ran in the past simply saved me some electricity each month, but the corals never seemed to suffer one iota from this decision.

Other factors cannot be omitted though: PO4 and NO3 has always been an issue in my tank, but I've been working very hard to keep these under control. I've been dosing Vodka for 9.5 months, which has helped immensely.
Click to expand...

Impressive! :thumbsup:

Did you change up the spectrum of the bulbs between the pictures?
 
I believe the better growth comes from the prolonged night period...corals grow at night so longer night period provides longer time for growth..being that the daylight supports their zooxan needs. Can't add anything with the change in coloring. I shortened my whole photoperiod by an hour and have experienced better growth by far and better color too. Could have been from the addition of a refugium as well tho to suck up all phos from the tank.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14484066#post14484066 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sinistard
Has anyone shortened there photo period by cutting some time out of the middle of your light cycle. Say you have your Main lights come on at 10am then turn off at like 2pm then come back on at 6pm and stay on until 10pm. It would be a total of 8 hours but the corals would have a break from the intense light for 4 hours. You could have supplemental light on during the entire photo period.

Sure this is not really "natural" but if corals can only absorb so much at a time maybe the break would encourage growth/coloring. And for people who work during the day you would get some time at night with your lights on.

Just a thought, I have not tried it but may to see what happens.
Click to expand...

I did this for a little while. I did 3 hours on, 3 off, 6 on. I did it so that the lights would come on for feeding time in the AM (so that the family could enjoy the tank during breakfast), and then killed the lights because I had read that simple algaes had trouble growing when the photo period was broken up.

I wasn't wild about that method. The film on the glass wasn't as bad. Everything would kind of open up, and then close again.

So, I dropped the "morning shift" and extended the "evening shift." I turn them on for 7 hours, starting at 130PM. I started this 2 weeks ago, and I have seen noticeable growth in that time. Though, I have also had the windows open a number of times since then, which could also be a factor.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14931264#post14931264 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
Impressive! :thumbsup:

Did you change up the spectrum of the bulbs between the pictures?
Click to expand...

Not so much, but it does bear clarification. The old picture was taken with a Fuji S602Z / Fuji 5100s, and the new picture was taken with a Nikon D70s.

The wattage is the same, but the original picture was 10,000K Reeflux / 20,000K Radium / 10,000K Reeflux, and the new picture is all brand new Icecap bulbs with the same spectrums.

The Icecap bulbs added more green on the 10,000Ks for some reason that I can't explain. They haven't been burned in 100 hours yet. The IceCap 20,000K looks fantastic, but unfortunately that bulb refused to come on yesterday for unknown reasons and I'm back to the Radium bulb. This is the second one I've gotten from IceCap, and I'm thinking it may be a ballast compatibility issue. I'm going to find someone with IceCap ballasts to try out both bulbs to see if they work for them, since mine is a Coralvue ballast.

Anyway, long story short: different cameras, slightly different look to the eye, but spectrums should be about the same.
 
Nice tank! Did that orange monti grow out or was that a new addition?

Also, I think the coloration seemed better in the first picture. Is it the bulbs or the photo?
 
Same coral, just grew out finally.

I discussed the pictures' colorations above your post.
 
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