Light cycle, how long do your lights stay on?

[hops523]

When I first set up my tank I ran my lights for a long time, and started to get all types of algae. I decreased the time to about 7 hours. I felt that was too short. So for the last few days Ive been running the lights for 9 hours. Well it seems like Im starting to get the same type of algae I had before, on the sand. I think its called cyano? So how long do you all run your lights?

 

[marvin willis]

i have my actinics on for 12 hours, my day light bulbs for 8 and moon lights for 12

 

[coraljunkie]

Actinics come on at 9:30 am and day lights 30 minutes after. Day lights go off at 9:30 pm and Actinics 30 minutes after.

 

[tizzo]

Actinics =10
halides=7.5
mppnlights=24/7

 

[marvin willis]

is it better to keep moon lights on all day?

 

[tizzo]

Originally Posted by Marvin Willis
http:///forum/post/2691161
is it better to keep moon lights on all day?
No, it's not better or worse. I just don't have them on a timer, so I simply leave them on.

 

[reefkprz]

440W vho 14 hours on a 75g
576w PC 13 hours on a 65g
36w PC 12 hours on a 12g nano

 

[fatcat]

T-5HO on 48gal 9 hours.

 

[anonome]

125g reef.
Actinics on at 7:20am until 1:00, back on at 4:30 until 10:20pm
Halides on at 12:20 until 6:30pm
Moonlights on at 9:30pm off at 7:45am
I keep LPS, softies, anemones (BTA's) and crocea clams.

 

[bbb]

Main lights (440 VHO) 12 noon to 9 p.m. Moonlights all the time. Refugium lights (130 PC but only run 65 b/c of heat under tank) before I leave in the mourning (7 a.m. ish) until sometime before I go to bed (Usually turn them off around 9 pm ish).

 

[myzislow]

Originally Posted by reefkprZ
http:///forum/post/2692622
440W vho 14 hours on a 75g
576w PC 13 hours on a 65g
36w PC 12 hours on a 12g nano
Why do run your lights so long? 14 hours a day of intense VHO lighting is way overkill, IMO; not only for your electricity bill, your bulb life but more importantly for your corals. Corals reach a point of light saturation and anything past that point is a waste. When I didn't run a timer on my tank and the few times I forgot to turn the lights off after around 12 hours of light the corals looked terrible and stressed.

 

[hexedagain1]

Actinics= 10 hours ( one hour before, and one after MH )
Metal Halide= 8 hours
Moon Lights= 24/7 ( not on a timer either )

 

[metweezer]

Anonome,
Awesome tank

 

[anonome]

Originally Posted by metweezer
http:///forum/post/2699899
Anonome,
Awesome tank

Thank you.

 

[supercomputers]

Nice Thread good advice.