How long should I run my lights?

[geoffer]

My tank is now about 6 weeks old and I have been running the lights (one day light and one blue actinic light) for about 12 hours per day. I still have some diatoms forming in the substrate each day. I also have some zoo's that came on some of the LR and they seem to have survived the cycle and are doing well. I eventually would like to add a BTA and some other corals.

 

[royal gang]

what i do is try to make it natural, when its day theyre on, when its night they're off, am i doing right? :help:

 

[windmill]

I do the same thing Royal.
I got to thinking about where our fish come from though, and think it'd be best to do close to 12 hours on, 12 hours off. Considering the vast majority of our fish come from equatorial waters, and considering the equator has basically no seasons (no major sunrise, sunset time changes) it would be most natural to replicate the equatorial sun-cycle.

 

[xdave]

12 on, 12 off is the best for tropical fish. If you have a sump or seperate refugium that is also lit, you should have that light on for the opposite hours of the tank light.

 

[ryanhayes9]

what type of lights and what tank?