how long to leave lights on?

[cabin7882]

I have a 46 gal bowfront with a Ocellaris Clown, 2 green chromis, a yellow tang snails and hermits and just got LR with feather duster hitchhikers!!! I have a 24" power glo light how long should I leave it on each day?

 

[seasalt101]

8-10 hrs maybe 12 if in a trance staring at the tank

 

[mopar9012]

I would start out at 8 hours and then work your way up to 12 hours a day. But thats just me.

 

[vanos]

IMO-8 is plenty but I start with the actinics in the AM and they are the last to turn off at night.

 

[cotti]

I'm running one 65 watt Dual Daylight for 14 hrs and one 65 watt Dual Actinic Japanese for 10 hrs. The sun comes up around 6am and lights the tank for 2 hrs then the daylight light comes on, sun goes down around 830 and the actinic japenese light comes on an hour later for the night. Is this or can this be a problem?

 

[b mccoy]

"I'm running one 65 watt Dual Daylight for 14 hrs and one 65 watt Dual Actinic Japanese for 10 hrs. The sun comes up around 6am and lights the tank for 2 hrs then the daylight light comes on, sun goes down around 830 and the actinic japenese light comes on an hour later for the night. Is this or can this be a problem?"
You really need the actinics on in the morning before the daylight and the actinics to go off after the daylights at night. If you want night lights, get you some led moonlights.
Ben

 

[120reefer]

Originally Posted by seasalt101
8-10 hrs maybe 12 if in a trance staring at the tank

Ah hahaha... i used to do the same thing until i put all of mine on timers.... now i have actinics on for an hour before, halides on for 8 hours, and actinics on for another hour after that..... then just the moonlights.

 

[cotti]

haha i'm such an idiot I never realized I had a led moon light already built into the light time to get another time thanks for the tip Ben!!

 

[cabin7882]

wow that is a lot of lights I have never heard of I am new to this and do you know if what I am using is ok? DO u need a night light?

 

[jam1e]

Originally Posted by cotti
haha i'm such an idiot I never realized I had a led moon light already built into the light time to get another time thanks for the tip Ben!!

you don't need another timer for the moonlights .. I run them twenty four seven

 

[cabin7882]

Oh but are they necassary to have? what are they for? How many lights should I have for a tank with some inverts, LR and fish?

 

[jam1e]

I have metal Halides ... they have 3 settings ... the brights .. dims/blue ones .. and the moonlights .. I turn on my blues then 15 minutes later I turn on my brights .. then twelve hours later i turn off my brights .. then 15 minutes later I turn off my blues .. and my moons just run 24/7 .. it's all on a timer ... i don't know if moons are necessary but they look really good .. what inverts do you have? .. you won't be able to have an anemone unless you have the halides .. I suggest you get power compacts if you ask me .. and the moons will probably be built into the light .. or if you have the money . and want more elaborate corals and anemones then you can get the metal halides

 

[cotti]

Originally Posted by Jam1e
you don't need another timer for the moonlights .. I run them twenty four seven

well i mean for the Actinic Japanese bulb, I'm running a timer for the daylight and now one for the Actinic Japanese, the led stays on 24/7...tell me do u think this is the optimal way to light the tank...Actinic Japanese on from 6am-730 am then daylight untill 830pm then Actinic Japanese from 8:30pm till 9:30 then off and the led the rest of the night.

 

[jam1e]

I keep my blue lights on while the brights are on .. it makes the tank look better .. but other than that . .yeah .. you're plan sounds awesome!

 

[cotti]

you are right, it does look better with the blue light on at the same time, I just didn't understand if it made a difference.

 

[jam1e]

I think that if you put any corals in it 0r certain invertebrates they would do better if the blue were on while the brights are