Light Cycle time length

[fishnerd02]

I got an Orbit 4x64 watt Power Compact light system.
What is the best lighting time? I was thinking 10 hours of the blue, then have the white come on an hour after that for 8 hours (both white and blue for 8 hours). Some people have told me 12 hours of light, but the guy at the LFS said thats a waste and I should cut it down to 8 or 10 hours total...

 

[gtiguy]

Here is my schedule, to give you an example: I run PC's as well.....
1. Actinic lights start at 8am
2. PC's come on at 11am
3. PC's shut down at 7pm
4. Actinic shuts off around 8pm-9pmish
5. Moonlights come on at 9pm (all other lighst are now off for the nite)
6. Moonlights shut off at 8am (cycle starts over)

 

[fishnerd02]

I will probably do something along those lines but maybe an hour less.
I was wondering about the moon light as well. I am thinking of just having it on 5 hours at night. It would be kind of cool to have some kind of lunar timer. Do cheap ones exist? I might just use it as an hour of dawn/dusk light before the actinics come on instead.

 

[laddy]

I think your LFS gave you some good advice. Plus, it all depends on what you are keeping. A fish only tank has less lighting demands than an SPS tank.

 

[fishnerd02]

I have a lot of mushroom polyps, some star polyps and a hard coral that was fading away form my old broken lights. I would say about 1/2 my coral faded away in the 2 months I was running at 50% light. My old ballast broke and the LFS kept stringing me along waiting for Helios to come out with their updated version. I am sticking with the Current USA.

 

[gtiguy]

Cheap moonlights do exsist, and they are awsome if you ask me...They are made by current and they can be linked together to from like 16 leds!!!! ..They come in a package of 2 leds per small black box....I think for about 25-30$ you can get 4 leds...Enough to light up my 65g real nice.... :jumping: