Lights on
- Thread starter oceankid
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flower
Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by OceanKid
http:///forum/post/3264896
I work on rotating schedule...
No matter..The day time lights should run 12 hours and then moonlights or dark the other 12.
In my reef for example I run MHs 8 hours and actinic 12, total daylight time = 12, when the actinic shuts off my moonlights kick on for 12 hours all night until morning when the cycle begins again.
Fish don’t care if you ever have lights, the lights are for you to see them. Corals however NEED the light to live. So whatever shift you work, you need to make sure that coral has the 12 hours of light. If you only have fish, turn on the lights when you want to view the tank.
I use a timer so everything is very consistent.
http:///forum/post/3264896
I work on rotating schedule...
No matter..The day time lights should run 12 hours and then moonlights or dark the other 12.
In my reef for example I run MHs 8 hours and actinic 12, total daylight time = 12, when the actinic shuts off my moonlights kick on for 12 hours all night until morning when the cycle begins again.
Fish don’t care if you ever have lights, the lights are for you to see them. Corals however NEED the light to live. So whatever shift you work, you need to make sure that coral has the 12 hours of light. If you only have fish, turn on the lights when you want to view the tank.
I use a timer so everything is very consistent.
flower
Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by acrylic51
http:///forum/post/3265331
Corals don't need 12 hours of light........
A fellow with a 26+ year old reef told me they do. 12 hours daylight and 12 hours night, that's the way he had his lights timed so I did the same. I don't run the MH lights 12 hours, only 8...but the actinic are run the full 12.
It is isn't broke don't fix it...this always worked just fine for my tanks so naturally when I give advice it is based on my own success with reef keeping.
I doubt actinic lights make or break coral, allot of folks don’t even have actinic lighting. Do you believe the blue lights are going to hurt anything to run the full 12 hours?
http:///forum/post/3265331
Corals don't need 12 hours of light........
A fellow with a 26+ year old reef told me they do. 12 hours daylight and 12 hours night, that's the way he had his lights timed so I did the same. I don't run the MH lights 12 hours, only 8...but the actinic are run the full 12.
It is isn't broke don't fix it...this always worked just fine for my tanks so naturally when I give advice it is based on my own success with reef keeping.
I doubt actinic lights make or break coral, allot of folks don’t even have actinic lighting. Do you believe the blue lights are going to hurt anything to run the full 12 hours?
wangotango
Active Member
Originally Posted by acrylic51
http:///forum/post/3265331
Corals don't need 12 hours of light........
+1. Even in nature the reefs don't get 100% full-bore sunlight for 12 hours everyday. I think my total photoperiod is only about 10 hours. Your corals will let you know if they are getting too much/ not enough light.
Set your timers for whatever works for your timeframe. If you're home from midnight to 10am then run the lights then.
http:///forum/post/3265331
Corals don't need 12 hours of light........
+1. Even in nature the reefs don't get 100% full-bore sunlight for 12 hours everyday. I think my total photoperiod is only about 10 hours. Your corals will let you know if they are getting too much/ not enough light.
Set your timers for whatever works for your timeframe. If you're home from midnight to 10am then run the lights then.
spanko
Active Member
Here from wet web media.
"In truth, properly sized and set up MH's do their work in about 4-6 hours. However, living things have evolved to varying photoperiods, known as seasons. Longer hours of light in summer and shorter in winter. The winter photoperiod gets down to about 8 hours, so this is the least I would go myself. Properly sized MH's do all they need to do in about 6 hours, but you need a longer photoperiod to simulate nature anywhere from 10-12 hours) and the remaining photoperiod can be VHO, PC etc. Your MH will do this but after about 6 hours it's mainly adding heat. With only MH, I would go for about 10 hours minimum. I use a 12 hour photoperiod, the first two hours VHO, then MH's come on for 8 hours, then VHO for last two hours. Make sure your ventilation is up to par"
"In truth, properly sized and set up MH's do their work in about 4-6 hours. However, living things have evolved to varying photoperiods, known as seasons. Longer hours of light in summer and shorter in winter. The winter photoperiod gets down to about 8 hours, so this is the least I would go myself. Properly sized MH's do all they need to do in about 6 hours, but you need a longer photoperiod to simulate nature anywhere from 10-12 hours) and the remaining photoperiod can be VHO, PC etc. Your MH will do this but after about 6 hours it's mainly adding heat. With only MH, I would go for about 10 hours minimum. I use a 12 hour photoperiod, the first two hours VHO, then MH's come on for 8 hours, then VHO for last two hours. Make sure your ventilation is up to par"
nikesb
Active Member
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3265349
A fellow with a 26+ year old reef told me they do. 12 hours daylight and 12 hours night, that's the way he had his lights timed so I did the same. I don't run the MH lights 12 hours, only 8...but the actinic are run the full 12.
It is isn't broke don't fix it...this always worked just fine for my tanks so naturally when I give advice it is based on my own success with reef keeping.
I doubt actinic lights make or break coral, allot of folks don’t even have actinic lighting. Do you believe the blue lights are going to hurt anything to run the full 12 hours?
day lights dont need to be on for more than 6 hours. as for success, it depends on how you look at it. one of the nicest tanks i know run 5 hours daylight spectrum and 10 hours blue spectrum and its alot nicer than alot of peoples tank who blast their corals with light.
heres a pic of his tank if you dont believe me
if the blue lights are giving out the right par, then yes the corals are still using them. corals grow during the dark hours.
http:///forum/post/3265349
A fellow with a 26+ year old reef told me they do. 12 hours daylight and 12 hours night, that's the way he had his lights timed so I did the same. I don't run the MH lights 12 hours, only 8...but the actinic are run the full 12.
It is isn't broke don't fix it...this always worked just fine for my tanks so naturally when I give advice it is based on my own success with reef keeping.
I doubt actinic lights make or break coral, allot of folks don’t even have actinic lighting. Do you believe the blue lights are going to hurt anything to run the full 12 hours?
day lights dont need to be on for more than 6 hours. as for success, it depends on how you look at it. one of the nicest tanks i know run 5 hours daylight spectrum and 10 hours blue spectrum and its alot nicer than alot of peoples tank who blast their corals with light.
heres a pic of his tank if you dont believe me
if the blue lights are giving out the right par, then yes the corals are still using them. corals grow during the dark hours.
acrylic51
Active Member
Nice pic NikeSB.....That's what I was hinting at....alot of the successfull reef tanks being run today are being run on less lighting hours due to a multitude of reasons.....Advancement on lighting and such, and if you do think about in the wild corals aren't getting direct intense lighting which we are replicating for a full 12 hours.....You will get good growth with your whiter spectrum of light, but again no need for 12 hours.....Alot of shops are going to light movers and you might have to increase photoperiod then, but for a fixed lighting system way to much.....Think of the electricity you could save as well!!!!!!!
flower
Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by nikeSB
http:///forum/post/3265392
day lights dont need to be on for more than 6 hours. as for success, it depends on how you look at it. one of the nicest tanks i know run 5 hours daylight spectrum and 10 hours blue spectrum and its alot nicer than alot of peoples tank who blast their corals with light.
heres a pic of his tank if you dont believe me
if the blue lights are giving out the right par, then yes the corals are still using them. corals grow during the dark hours.
Friend, I didn’t ever say I didn’t believe you. I said people find what works best for them. I personally follow the advice of a fellow I very much trusted. Spanko confirmed the technical’s of why the guy said 12 hours of daytime and 8 hours of MH light. I didn't know why, I just did what the guy told me.
That picture was so beautiful that I saved it for future reference and maybe a desktop background.
I ASKED if you thought there was a danger of running the actinic for 12 hours. I wasn’t being snooty or arguing, I am learning and I ask questions. I use moonlights at night so I believe they are ignored by coral.
http:///forum/post/3265392
day lights dont need to be on for more than 6 hours. as for success, it depends on how you look at it. one of the nicest tanks i know run 5 hours daylight spectrum and 10 hours blue spectrum and its alot nicer than alot of peoples tank who blast their corals with light.
heres a pic of his tank if you dont believe me
if the blue lights are giving out the right par, then yes the corals are still using them. corals grow during the dark hours.
Friend, I didn’t ever say I didn’t believe you. I said people find what works best for them. I personally follow the advice of a fellow I very much trusted. Spanko confirmed the technical’s of why the guy said 12 hours of daytime and 8 hours of MH light. I didn't know why, I just did what the guy told me.
That picture was so beautiful that I saved it for future reference and maybe a desktop background.
I ASKED if you thought there was a danger of running the actinic for 12 hours. I wasn’t being snooty or arguing, I am learning and I ask questions. I use moonlights at night so I believe they are ignored by coral.