Lighting Schedule

[gcgrad]

I just bought the 72" Aquatic Life T5 HO w/ LED Light Fixture. I will upgrade the bulbs to the ATI soon enough. But right now I'm thinking of running the actinics from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm, whites from 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm, LEDs from 11:00 pm to 2:00 am, all lights off from 2:00 am to 8:00 am, then LEDs on again from 8:00 am to 11:00 am. Refugium light will run from 11:00 pm to 11:00 am. Any thoughts? Thanks

 

[scott t]

I am going to run my Lights on the same schedule but I will leave the moon lights on all night long, and they will go off when the day lights come on.

 

[1guydude]

sounds good to me! only id run the actintics for like a couple hrs and than turn on the other bulbs with the actinitics and shut off the whites before leds.....giving u a dawn/dusk effect before the moonlights!
So maybe 2hrs before and after....if that makes sense at all

 

[gcgrad]

Quote:
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///forum/thread/387214/lighting-schedule#post_3405305
sounds good to me! only id run the actintics for like a couple hrs and than turn on the other bulbs with the actinitics and shut off the whites before leds.....giving u a dawn/dusk effect before the moonlights!
So maybe 2hrs before and after....if that makes sense at all

So you're saying run the actinics as state above (12 hours). But run the whites 8 hours, turning them on 2 hours after the actinics come on and turning off 2 hours before the actinics go off. With the LEDs coming on when the actinics go off and turning off when the actinics turn on.

 

[1guydude]

correct....but id tune it down to like 8-10hr max light schedule....imo!
My lights are only on for 8hrs! Not 12hrs....u may end up with HA or cyano or something!
If they are already going, turn em down half hr at a time so u dont shock ur coral or fishys!

 

[florida joe]

Imo the most important thing when running now lights is to gradually work up to your total light time I would start at ½ your total time and add one hr. of time each week until you get to where you want

 

[foxandhound]

Still trying to figure this out myself...
Could this be ok...
Do moonlights need be to turned off for total darkness a few hours per night?
11 am- actinic lights turn on
noon- actinic stays on, day lights turn on
9pm- day lights turn off, actinic stays on
10pm- actinics lights turn off and moonlights turn on
1:30am- moonlights turn off
???

 

[travelerjp98]

Yes, keep the moonlights off a part of the night as to prevent algae growth.

 

[meowzer]

Quote:
Originally Posted by FoxandHound http:///t/387214/lighting-schedule#post_3431034
Still trying to figure this out myself...
Could this be ok...
Do moonlights need be to turned off for total darkness a few hours per night?
11 am- actinic lights turn on
noon- actinic stays on, day lights turn on
9pm- day lights turn off, actinic stays on
10pm- actinics lights turn off and moonlights turn on
1:30am- moonlights turn off
???
I would have the daylights run 6-7 hours.....
I never turn my moonlights off....well...they go on right before actinics go off...and turn off right after actinics come on

 

[foxandhound]

Well, I am battling hair algae....so what about this schedule...to reflect the 6-7 hours of daylight and what you said about moonlights???
9 am- moonlights turn on
11 am- moonlights turn off, actinic lights turn on
noon- actinic stays on, day lights turn on
7pm- day lights turn off, actinic stays on
9pm- actinics lights turn off and moonlights turn on
1:00am- moonlights turn off

 

[travelerjp98]

Quote:
Originally Posted by FoxandHound http:///t/387214/lighting-schedule#post_3431100
Well, I am battling hair algae....so what about this schedule...to reflect the 6-7 hours of daylight and what you said about moonlights???
9 am- moonlights turn on
11 am- moonlights turn off, actinic lights turn on
noon- actinic stays on, day lights turn on
7pm- day lights turn off, actinic stays on
9pm- actinics lights turn off and moonlights turn on
1:00am- moonlights turn off
I think it's good!