Lights on or off

[giantregal]

well i was wondering what you guys do about your lights
i just have them all come on at 9 am, and off at 11 pm
but i was thinking about changing it
and having moonlights on at night 11-6 am
2 actinic PC's from 6-8
2 actinic PC's and 2 50/50 PC's from 8-10
above plus 2 more 10000 PC's from 10-12
above plus 1 MH 250 from 12-2
above plus 2 more MH 250 from 2-6
6-8 minus all MH
8-10 minus 10000k and 50/50
11 all off moonlights on
any suggestions?

 

[robchuck]

So if I read your post right, you're running all of those lights for 14 hours everyday? That's alot of light that you're giving your tank.
The schedule you proposed in your post would not only create a healthier environment for your tank (the shock of the lights going on & off would be eliminated), but you would also save on your electrical bill, lower the chances of promoting a nuisance algae bloom, and lengthen the lifespan of your bulbs.
It's a very well thought out schedule, but if it were my tank, I would compress it from the 17 hours (actinics on at 6am/actinics off at 11pm) you have it set as now into a 12 hour period, to benefit from the advantages of a shorter photoperiod mentioned above.