SPS Lighting time period MH vs' VHO

[blstravler]

I am going to try something new.

I current run 2 VHO 50/50's and 3 MH 400w 20k's over my 180. This is the lighting schedule I am changing to-

11am VHO on
12pm MH on
12:15pm VHO off
4:00pm VHO on
4:15 MH off
7:00pm MH on
7:15pm VHO off
9:50pm VHO on
10:00pm MH off
10:45 VHO off

I am creating to MH only photo periods one for 4 hours and one for 3 hours. I know it may reduce bulb life and that is fine but what does everyone thing this will do to the fish and coral?


Why am I doing this, I was recently away on vacation and my VHO ballast died and during a 9 day time period my tank only had MH and the corals color got very intense as well I noticed some nice growth during this time period.

Do you think I am just better off doing the MH time period as one long one instead of 2 short ones? and use the VHO for dawn and dusk effect?

Just looking for some opinnions????

TIA-
Keith

 

[blstravler]

Anyone?

 

[samsfishnchips]

blstravler,

are you sure it wasn't the "away" part that did the trick

thats like watching yourself everyday on the mirror, you won't see a different but you can see difference when you see with break periods, just a though,

sam

 

[blstravler]

I have been thinking more about the lighting time period over reef tanks in general.

Most, if not all of us provide high intense light to our SPS for a good 6 hours a day, usually more, with no break. But for any of us who have been to the tropics we know very well that it is not constant bright sun, there are always clouds in the sky and passing shade, so this is what I am looking to do, try to give them some shade like in nature but at the same time provide them with 2 good time periods of intens light during the course of the day.

Any thoughts?

 

[nanoreef58]

interesting idea, keep us posted, though I think there are or were sunmovers that could move your mh across the tank to simulate the same thing