The Importance of Photoperiod and Colors
- Thread starter kev apsley
- Start date
Steak theory.
If you want to 'burn' your steak. Simply use 400+ degrees. But granted keep it short.
Though a slow roast, like prime rib is best, so less intensity, but longer periods.
I have mines @ about 5 hours or so.
Weekends, I leave them longer. I see great growth, though color is still an issue.
If you want to 'burn' your steak. Simply use 400+ degrees. But granted keep it short.
Though a slow roast, like prime rib is best, so less intensity, but longer periods.
I have mines @ about 5 hours or so.
Weekends, I leave them longer. I see great growth, though color is still an issue.
roblack
Active member
Cut my mH back to about 6 hours (20K) and it seems to be making a difference, although still a bit early to tell and I've been changing some other things at the same time. Makes sense, as most corals do not receive direct sunlight all day in the wild. GREAT THREAD Kev! This is science at work, although uncontrolled, like YOU!!!
kev apsley
In Memoriam
I like that weekend longer theory, how much longer on the weekends for you?
kev apsley
In Memoriam
I am waaay off the hook bro! you know it
I'm telling you , I am near the end of the 3rd week and my Aqua Delight is going on a growth tear and the colors that I am starting to see, I never thought I could get.
JustinReef
New member
400W 20K
I cut back from 10 hours to 6 about 4-5 months ago. Since then, not only coral growth but also color has improved very significantly.
I have changed some other things too, so I don't know for sure how much the photoperiod reduction helped but it certainly hasn't hurt and is much easier on the electric bill
I cut back from 10 hours to 6 about 4-5 months ago. Since then, not only coral growth but also color has improved very significantly.
I have changed some other things too, so I don't know for sure how much the photoperiod reduction helped but it certainly hasn't hurt and is much easier on the electric bill
gaetanocallista
New member
It's possible to deepen this factor?
gaetanocallista
New member
yesterday I cut back photoperiod from 8 H to 6H (actinics 2 hours before and after the halides)
StevethePirate
New member
Very interesting thread!! will tag along as my SPS are still to small to have an input but i would love to try this out
Marsfrogie
New member
I recently cut back from 9 hours to 7.5 hours and have notice a considerable improvement in color. Especially my blue chalice coral, it had a lot of brown in it but is now getting quite colorful. I'm noticing less brown in my sps too.
My 55gallon has 2X250 watt 14K phoenix bulbs only. I'm thinking about dropping to the XM20K's to halve the intensity.
My 55gallon has 2X250 watt 14K phoenix bulbs only. I'm thinking about dropping to the XM20K's to halve the intensity.
kev apsley
In Memoriam
not only are the colors coming back but I also noticed a nice growth spurt on all my acros
kev apsley
In Memoriam
I think in my case it has to do with the height off the water my fixture is (4-5") and the fact I have a 20K Helios ( good par for a 20K) over my 24g nano...cutting back in my case really made a huge difference
jakester
New member
I cut back from 8 to 6hr and when I woke up all my frags were colonies. This is awesome !!!
J/K
Ok, so I am going to try this on my 29 nano. It is a full sps tank with 2/ 250 watt SE with spider reflectors and no supp. lighting. One is a 14k Hamilton and the other ia a 10k Reeflux. They run at 6.5 hrs. now . I have a light loving sunset milli and a rouge milli top center and a red planet and cali tort mid tank. All 4 of them are a little light in a color and could use some deepening in color. I don't want to mess with my feeding schedule so I am going to cut back by 1 hour to start and see what that leads to.
Keep you guys posted.
J/K
Ok, so I am going to try this on my 29 nano. It is a full sps tank with 2/ 250 watt SE with spider reflectors and no supp. lighting. One is a 14k Hamilton and the other ia a 10k Reeflux. They run at 6.5 hrs. now . I have a light loving sunset milli and a rouge milli top center and a red planet and cali tort mid tank. All 4 of them are a little light in a color and could use some deepening in color. I don't want to mess with my feeding schedule so I am going to cut back by 1 hour to start and see what that leads to.
Keep you guys posted.
dixiedog
New member
I just finished my experiment. I cut my 4x24 TEK fixture from an 8/12 schedule to a 6/10.
My slimer began to STN, my Cali tort completely lost all PE, and my Pearlberry was browning out.
Once again, it seems nothing in this hobby is one-size-fits-all! I'm going the other way now, gonna try a 10/12 schedule.
My slimer began to STN, my Cali tort completely lost all PE, and my Pearlberry was browning out.
Once again, it seems nothing in this hobby is one-size-fits-all! I'm going the other way now, gonna try a 10/12 schedule.
Any more updates?
I decided two days ago to change my T5 photoperiod so it's too early for any results.
Have had great growth but pale coloration - params are good but I may be using too much light.
4x54 T5 HO
Prior:
Actinics 9am to 11pm
Daylight 10am to 10 pm
New schedule:
Actinics 1pm to 11pm
Daylight 2pm to 10pm
-Eric
I decided two days ago to change my T5 photoperiod so it's too early for any results.
Have had great growth but pale coloration - params are good but I may be using too much light.
4x54 T5 HO
Prior:
Actinics 9am to 11pm
Daylight 10am to 10 pm
New schedule:
Actinics 1pm to 11pm
Daylight 2pm to 10pm
-Eric
kevinpratt823
New member
My actinics are on a total of 15 hrs, my halides about 8.
Here's a couple things to consider:
A lot of this stuff doesn't have the same colors in nature that they do in captivity.
The PAR level on a real reef far surpasses what we can replicate in a tank within a couple hours of sunrise, nevermind high noon. So saying that they only get 4 hours of intense light really isn't a good comparison, because those 4 hours are prob triple what we can produce, with an additional 4 hours before and after it.
Also, it may not even be the PAR that is most relevent here for color. Yes, it is important for growth/photosynthesis, but I am under the impression that the pigments that are produced have more to do with blocking/canceling out certain spectrums of light/radiation.
I still can't help but think I need to "bake" the colors in to them for most, but strategically placing some to recieve lower PAR is obviously necesrry.
Here's a couple things to consider:
A lot of this stuff doesn't have the same colors in nature that they do in captivity.
The PAR level on a real reef far surpasses what we can replicate in a tank within a couple hours of sunrise, nevermind high noon. So saying that they only get 4 hours of intense light really isn't a good comparison, because those 4 hours are prob triple what we can produce, with an additional 4 hours before and after it.
Also, it may not even be the PAR that is most relevent here for color. Yes, it is important for growth/photosynthesis, but I am under the impression that the pigments that are produced have more to do with blocking/canceling out certain spectrums of light/radiation.
I still can't help but think I need to "bake" the colors in to them for most, but strategically placing some to recieve lower PAR is obviously necesrry.
Grant W
New member
built a new hood so it's a bit hard to compare but had a coralife pro hood before with 2 150 MH and the 96 watt pc's was running the pc's 6am -8pm, MHs 9am-5pm could barely keep SPS's new hood 2 lumenarc mini reflectors driven by lumenmax dimmable ballast and 175 watt Ushio 14kk bulbs on at 9am off at 3pm ,actinics are 4 54 watt t-5's driven by 2 icecap 660's, tech 2 faceted individual reflectors 2 geissman true actinics on at 6am off at 8pm, 2 actinic + on at 8am off at 4pm . Have "said" all this I'm not sure exactly what my new wattages are as the lumenars are supposed to increase output by 30%, the lumenmax ballasts increase output , but decrease energy consumption by 25%+,the tech 2 Reflectors are supposed to increase output by 300% (I believe ) my total times with the MHs has decreased by 2 hours and my energy consumption has dropped quite a bit as the new setup doesn't kick the chiller on nearly as often and hood temp rarely gets above 90 +/-, p.s. sps's have exploded since the change over. Tank is a 120 sps dominated reef
