Can you run lights super low before they turn on so you can see tank during the day?

[duganderson]

I have a Noopsyche K7 pro over a 15 gallon mixed reef.

I run the light 1 hour ramp up at 2 PM , 8 hours on about 35% of blue, green, purple and UV and about 10% white and red at 3 PM and then 1 hour ramp down at 11 PM.

Can start a low light setting in the morning from like 6 AM to 2 PM so I can see the tank OR is this too much light or going to lead to extra algae?

If I did this, what colors would you use? Any sense of what percentage you would use?

Thanks, Doug

 

[fishyjoes]

I don't think anybody can predict for you what will happen.
If your current lighting schedule is producing good growth, I would either just leave it alone or shift the entire schedule earlier in the day if you want earlier viewing hours
Are you really up at 6am and awake all the way to 11pm?

 

[duganderson]

I just moved 34 g Red Sea to a 15 g. cube and this is a new light so I don't know about my growth yet.

Yes, I'm frequently up by 6 and frequently up until 11. That's 7 hours of sleep. I frequently work from home by my tank so it's fun to be able to see the fish and coral during the day

 

[twentyleagues]

you could change your schedule to accommodate your earlier daytime schedule. I dont know a lot about the noop does it have a moon light function? If so you could do that later to get some night time viewing. I do know depending on your tank even ambient room lighting can grow algae so even a little light could help algae growth. My lights have a moon schedule that follows the moons phase so when its a full moon the lights are pretty bright even though I only have it set to 2% max.

 

[fish farmer]

It looks like you are running your lights for 9 hours. How about a 12 hour schedule with a couple low hours on either end. Pick the time you expect to watch the tank 9 to 9, 10 to 10, 11 to 11. Is there any daylight in the room in the morning, so you could still check things out but the tank may still be in sleep mode?

 

[duganderson]

8 hours on full and ramp up for an hour and down for a hour.

12 hours is a good idea. Yes, there is some sun I the morning.

People used to run moon lights when their tanks were off. I was hoping there was some sort of low light option that allowed me to view the tank without causing problems.

 

[exnisstech]

I don't see a problem having them on low for viewing. I used to have mine come on low at 6 am so I could feed before I left for work. Lights were on till 10 pm. I no longer work so they run 10am to 10pm now.

 

[duganderson]

If you ran them on low, are there any colors you would use or avoid due to algae growth, bothering the fish or coral, etc.

I've got blue, green, purple, UV, white and red

 

[Dburr1014]

I have a Noopsyche K7 pro over a 15 gallon mixed reef.

I run the light 1 hour ramp up at 2 PM , 8 hours on about 35% of blue, green, purple and UV and about 10% white and red at 3 PM and then 1 hour ramp down at 11 PM.

Can start a low light setting in the morning from like 6 AM to 2 PM so I can see the tank OR is this too much light or going to lead to extra algae?

If I did this, what colors would you use? Any sense of what percentage you would use?

Thanks, Doug

On my Reefbreeders I do 2 hours pre and post my light setting of light blue at 1%.
This allowes me to see the tank when I wake up at 5am. It doesn't hit the corals growing response at that spectrum. Some of the fish are still sleeping but my purple tang is always watching me.

 

[exnisstech]

My lowest setting is 5,20,20,20,20,5 on my noopsyche k7s

EDIT : I would just play around and see what settings give you the amount of light you want for viewing.

 

[duganderson]

Are a

My lowest setting is 5,20,20,20,20,5 on my noopsyche k7s

EDIT : I would just play around and see what settings give you the amount of light you want for viewing.

Are any of the colors more likely to grow algae or bother coral or fish? It is my understanding that that certain colors impact all of these differently.

At a low level (1% on all lights) I can see the fish and coral. Which color I use or don't does not seem to impact my view; therefore, I can pick the colors that are less likely to cause problems.

 

[exnisstech]

Are a


Are any of the colors more likely to grow algae or bother coral or fish? It is my understanding that that certain colors impact all of these differently.

At a low level (1% on all lights) I can see the fish and coral. Which color I use or don't does not seem to impact my view; therefore, I can pick the colors that are less likely to cause problems.

I've heard white green and red fuel algae growth but that is just what I have read. I tend to set my lights so the tanks look pleasing to me since I'm looking at them all day. I don't really fret much over some algae, I like a little more natural look vs a sterile looking system.

 

[Dburr1014]

Are a


Are any of the colors more likely to grow algae or bother coral or fish? It is my understanding that that certain colors impact all of these differently.

At a low level (1% on all lights) I can see the fish and coral. Which color I use or don't does not seem to impact my view; therefore, I can pick the colors that are less likely to cause problems.

Use light blue, lowest setting you can.
Remember seeing during the day at the lowest setting is hard, but at night it's enough to see in the tank. At the lowest setting, like 1%, no need to worry about algae.

 

[BZOFIQ]

The answer is yes, you can run lights really low without any algae issues. I do the same with my ATI Hybrid.