what is the optimum photoperiod for sps?
- Thread starter Reefski's
- Start date
Kip
New member
all depends on the wattage/spectrum/intensity of the bulb and the ballast that pushes the bulb
other factors are cleanliness of the water which affects penetration.
you will see folks run photoperiods from 4hrs-12hrs... it all depends on your setup and the goals you have for your tank.
me... i run 11hr actinic and 9hr halides (3x400w radiums on pfohqi) on my stony tank (i have other tanks with different p-periods but since this is the stony forum, i gave a "stony tank" answer
)
other factors are cleanliness of the water which affects penetration.
you will see folks run photoperiods from 4hrs-12hrs... it all depends on your setup and the goals you have for your tank.
me... i run 11hr actinic and 9hr halides (3x400w radiums on pfohqi) on my stony tank (i have other tanks with different p-periods but since this is the stony forum, i gave a "stony tank" answer
)
Bullredchaser
New member
If you ever been diving you will learn that there is only intense light underwater for 3 hrs between 11am and 2pm.The rest of the time it is extremely blue.I think if you want to replicate natures shedule you should have intense light for about 3-4 hrs and actinics for 8-13 hrs.
thebicyclecafe
New member
Very true. I'd start out with 8-10 hours and really alter it if your corals respond poorly.
MiddletonMark
Premium Member
Totally agree.
Photoperiod means different things - as `there is light' might last 12 hours, but depending on location/etc - the reef might only get 3-5 hours of strongly intense light daily.
FWIW, here's an interesting article with a graph of what a reef at GBR actually gets over the course of a day [Dana Riddle also has some quite good charts of just about the same thing]
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-09/atj/feature/index.php
Personally, I run my Actinics for 11-12 hours, my MH [each] for 6-7 hours] .... gets the results I want [growth/color] while reduced from the 8-10 hours of MH I used to run.
blstravler
Member
I agree with what Bullredchaser said. From there I will also say there are always periods of passing clouds and rain showers down in the islands almost all year round.
I always used to run my MH's (3 - 400W 20K's) for 11 hours a day. I recently went out and purchased a few good quality digital timers.
I now have my photo period so that I always have 1 good strong photo period of MH for 4 hours a day. From there I sometimes introduce other short (1-3 hour) photo periods. I am trying to replicate the cloudy parts of the day, sometimes the inntense period comes right away some times it comes later in the day. Regardless I run 10k VHO (2 60in bulbs) from 11am-11pm each day. Also once every 2 weeks or so I only have the VHO's on for the day, there are always rainy days over reefs.
Though it has taken me a while to get all of the timers set up onto a consitant schedule it is paying dividens. My colors are much better and my growth has remained the same before and after.
Just my 2 cents.
I always used to run my MH's (3 - 400W 20K's) for 11 hours a day. I recently went out and purchased a few good quality digital timers.
I now have my photo period so that I always have 1 good strong photo period of MH for 4 hours a day. From there I sometimes introduce other short (1-3 hour) photo periods. I am trying to replicate the cloudy parts of the day, sometimes the inntense period comes right away some times it comes later in the day. Regardless I run 10k VHO (2 60in bulbs) from 11am-11pm each day. Also once every 2 weeks or so I only have the VHO's on for the day, there are always rainy days over reefs.
Though it has taken me a while to get all of the timers set up onto a consitant schedule it is paying dividens. My colors are much better and my growth has remained the same before and after.
Just my 2 cents.
Obi-dad
Active member
While it is true that the most intense light is for a few hours, for shallow reefs the light during those few hours is more intense than what most tank lights produce, and the hours before and after the middle of the day still have a lot of light (if you have been diving or snorkeling shallow reefs you will notice that there is plenty of light at 10am and at 4pm). I think a common mistake is to think that the tank lighting is equal to the light on a shallow reef.
To get as much irradiation as on a shallow reef typical tank lighting would need to be run longer than a few hours - especially for high K bulbs (lower PAR than low K bulbs).
grabthereef
New member
great information
usfpaul82
New member
my sched is a little different. I have a 65 gallon stocked sps tank...so its only 3 ft long. I run 2 - 250 radiums plus 2 95w vhos in the canopy. my vhos come on for 2 hours...then 1 MH for 4 hours, then the other mh for 4 hours, but it comes on 1 hour before the 1st goes off....so I only have both MHs on for 1 hour a day, but MH lighting on for a total of 7 hours. after the 2nd MH goes off, the vhos go off 2 hours later. the MHs kind of simulate the sun rising on one side, peaking at top for an hour and setting on the other side. this has worked great for me since having 2 - 250s over a 3 foot tank on for 7 hours a day was a little much for me.
kev apsley
In Memoriam
As stated above, many factors contribute to how captive corals do under artificial lighting. We are trying to compare the power of the Sun to man made lighting, it's just not the same. I think one should strive for 8-10 hrs and than adjust accordingly, weather it's up or down on the photoperiod. Your corals will tell you everything you need to know just by looking at them.
Allmost
New member
I have heard of arguments where they say corals need their beauty sleep, so more dark time means better growth and coloration
I have also heard the opossite :S so have no Idea lol
I have decreased my P period from 14 - 12 and I see some positive results, so I THINK : 14 hours on and only 8 hours iff is not enough dark time for SPS, meaning they exusted themselves during the day (too much photo synthesis)
will reduce it to 10 hours a day in a month, so these color would settle down before the next change.
I also read an article saying we need to have the same number of par they get in ocean over a day, so if the par (EXAMPLES just trowing number out) of ocean is 100 and on for 12 hours, u get 100 * 12 = 1200
then if ure lighting has par of 75, u will need 1200/ 75 = hours.,.
or if 120 then u will need only 10 hours ...
I dunno if this makes sense ... not really logical to me at least.
I have also heard the opossite :S so have no Idea lol
I have decreased my P period from 14 - 12 and I see some positive results, so I THINK : 14 hours on and only 8 hours iff is not enough dark time for SPS, meaning they exusted themselves during the day (too much photo synthesis)
will reduce it to 10 hours a day in a month, so these color would settle down before the next change.
I also read an article saying we need to have the same number of par they get in ocean over a day, so if the par (EXAMPLES just trowing number out) of ocean is 100 and on for 12 hours, u get 100 * 12 = 1200
then if ure lighting has par of 75, u will need 1200/ 75 = hours.,.
or if 120 then u will need only 10 hours ...
I dunno if this makes sense ... not really logical to me at least.
dan223
Custom User Title
Im sure optimal photo period will be very different from one tank to another, depending on nutrient levels and who knows what other factors, no 2 tanks ever seem the same even with exactly the same lighting alk cal and equipment.
Ive read levels can exceed 500 par by 8:00 AM and go beyond 2000 par by afternoon in the shallows. So trying to replicate that would be like trying to replicate the massive nutrient import export that is always happening.
I think the best answers come from looking at some of the awesome reef tanks on here, TOTM tanks etc. and read what they are doing for lighting, the proof is in the pictures.
Ive read levels can exceed 500 par by 8:00 AM and go beyond 2000 par by afternoon in the shallows. So trying to replicate that would be like trying to replicate the massive nutrient import export that is always happening.
I think the best answers come from looking at some of the awesome reef tanks on here, TOTM tanks etc. and read what they are doing for lighting, the proof is in the pictures.
dan223
Custom User Title
Ive never heard of this before, do you have any links that show the science behind this?
wickedfish
New member
Good info I am only here to read and not contribute, I am out of my league.
Atomikk
SPS OG
Thanks Baros. Saved me a search.
