Anyone else use a timer for their lights?

[bob the builder]

I use them for my tank and work great. But i am just wondering is it posible to give too much light? Heres what i mean. Do i keep my lights on too long? Look at this:
2 65wtActinics on from 8AM- 10PM every day(that is 1 hour at night, one hour in the morning for pure actinic lighting for some of the corals)
2 65wtDay light on from 9AM-9PM everyday(along with actinics)
So i got 2 questions. Do i have my lights on too long? and does anybody else use a timer?Thank you in advance.

 

[nacl-h2o]

It was my understanding 12hrs was the suggested max. I run mine 10hrs. And I use timers on all my tanks lights except refugiums there 24/7.

 

[frankl15207]

First rule of the hobby:
If what's living in it looks happy and healthy, then it's being done right. If you want to replicate conditions exactly, spend the money on scuba diving and leave the creatures in their natural habitat.
I have read from 9 to 12 hours on lighting. Even the 'experts' don't seem to agree.

 

[goofyreefer]

I run 2 actinic 55w PC's from 6:30am to 11 pm.. I then run my 2 10000K 55w PC's from 7 am to 10:30 pm.

 

[fishguy]

I have a timer on my lights and I kept them on for twelve hours. (10Am-10PM) but then started to notice little specks of nuisance algae so I reduced that time to 10 hours (10AM-8PM). Now all is well, all my corals are doing fine and no algae other than stuff I want.

 

[volitan]

I absolutely use a timer for my photo period. IMO, the easiest way to be successful at this hobby is to attempt to recreate the animal's habitat as closely as possible. These animals and fish have been thriving in natural reefs for a very long time. Their photo period has always been constant. You can't change the time the sun shines on a reef. I try to simulate sunrises, sunsets, and everything in between as best I can (or as best as my wallet allows!).

 

[mlm]

I keep my actinics on from 7 am to 9 pm and my daylights are on from 9 am to 7 pm.

 

[broomer5]

Actinics on 2:00 p.m
Daylights on 4:00 p.m.
Daylights off 9:00 p.m.
Actinics off 10:00 p.m.

 

[infinsable]

Like previous stated if all is well leave it alone. I have MHs on from 9:00am to 7:00pm with the blues on an hour before and after.I have 2 175 MH which is strong lighting and have to constantly clean the algea off the glass.Thats the only down fall is the algea growth.

 

[jumpfrog]

Use a timer:
Actinics 8:00am to 8:00pm
Daylights from 9:00am to 7:00pm
Very little algea, clean the glass once a week. Everything seems healthy.
Good Luck!

 

[sinner's girl]

Yep, we use a timer, that way when we're not home or we go out of town, we don't have to worry about the light. By using a timer the fish have a normal lights on/ light off time. they know when the lights are going to come on and when they will go off.

 

[dirtybilge]

I don't see how it is possible not to use timers, I have timers on all my tanks.
ED

 

[javajoe]

I use timers-- my 40 watt NO lights are on at noon, off at 11pm, the 110 watt VHOs are on at 2pm off at 8pm.

 

[tzetze]

we use a timer on our lights....10 hours a day...works great with our work schedules...so the pets have a scheduled night and day as well