Colors not so bright...

superstein61 · Mar 25, 2009

Kerriann said:
so i've been running the lights from 3-10 daily since Monday. is this enough time or should i run longer/less?

should i get more snails to clean the brown algae or just brush it away?

3-10 is good for now. I run mine on two cycles - 2 bulbs (actinic and another blue bulb) for about 9 hours, the other 4 bulbs for about 8 hours. So the first 2 come on 30 minutes before the other 4 and go off 30 minutes after the others shut off.

If you have two timers on your light, you may want to consider having the actinics come on a little earlier and shut off a little later but its not a must that you do so.

Perhaps in time, you may want to increase your overall light cycle slightly but you will have to judge that based on your tank and corals

And like others said - don't worry about the algae now - the tank has to get used to the new light cycle. Just brush it / turkey baster it / etc off if you can

Kerriann · Mar 26, 2009

thanks guys! we do have the actinics go on slightly before and stay on for an extra half hour after. we also have blue solar power "moon lights" that are on all night but they obviously don't do much

BIGGUN · Mar 26, 2009

wow. How many of you are running your lights for under 10 hours?

What kind of lights are you using?

My halides are on for 12 hours a day......2 175w 20K's come on at 10AM and go off at 11AM when my 250w 14K's come on. The 250's run until 9PM. Then the 175's come on to finish the night at 10-11 depending on how late I'm getting home (I need some time to enjoy the tank).

Kevin

Paul_N · Mar 26, 2009

I have (2) 250w MH and (2) 54w T5's. I run my T5's from 10am till 9pm and then my MH from 3pm till 8pm.

superstein61 · Mar 26, 2009

BIGGUN said:
wow. How many of you are running your lights for under 10 hours?

What kind of lights are you using?

I am using six T-5 bulbs over my 72g. As per above, all 6 are on about 8 - 8 1/2 hours or so with just 2 bulbs on 1/2 hr before and after the other 4. Everything is doing very well with this light cycle and I have seen some very good growth on the SPS frags I added a few months ago

bigmatt1992 · Mar 26, 2009

i have a 8 bulb t-5 runing for 8 hours with the antics kicking on 1/2 hour befor the 10k and like superstein said there is good growth with my light cycle to.

Jonreefer · Mar 26, 2009

the dusk dawn settings really doesnt do anything...I never understood why people always seem so into that.

Paul_N · Mar 26, 2009

Jonreefer said:
the dusk dawn settings really doesnt do anything...I never understood why people always seem so into that.

Purely aesthetics. When I started with a FOWLR setup many moons ago, they said it was less stressful and more natural for the fish because it didn't go from pitch black to bright white lights instantly. dunno but I just like the way it looks.....:bigsmile:

BIGGUN · Mar 26, 2009

Just for looks for me too. I like the look of the tank under the 20's but like the growth of the 14's

Kerriann · Mar 26, 2009

yes, i enjoy the looks of them as well. wasn't really a target when shopping for lights but a nice little feature added!

ticked the hammer off...repositioned him last night a little higher in the tank and wouldn't you know the emerald had to knock him off. completely pulled in - hope it comes around... :-(

cloakerpoked · Mar 26, 2009

They usually do. I've had frags land upside down and fully retract, but they come back. Nature does a lot worse to them than that!

I run my 2x250w 14 k MH 2x110w VHO actinic lights from 4:30 PM to 11 PM. My fuge light (a 2x65w PC) runs from 9:30 PM to 7 AM. My frag tank (250w MH 14k) runs from 7AM to 3 PM. I get what I consider to be very good growth out of everything with that.

raynist · Mar 27, 2009

BIGGUN said:
wow. How many of you are running your lights for under 10 hours?

What kind of lights are you using?

My halides are on for 12 hours a day......2 175w 20K's come on at 10AM and go off at 11AM when my 250w 14K's come on. The 250's run until 9PM. Then the 175's come on to finish the night at 10-11 depending on how late I'm getting home (I need some time to enjoy the tank).

Kevin

I run my lights about 5.5 hours on my 180 mixed reef and 6 hours on my SPS tank. I get great growth and colors.

I may run them longer on the weekends when I am home more, I hate to have them on when I am not there to appreciate it.

My 180 has a Aquactinic Constellation, my SPS tank has a 10 bulb Power Module.

cloakerpoked · Mar 27, 2009

I hate to have mine on when I'm not home too, but I hate even more to keep changing my light cycle to match my shift work schedule...so I usually end up going a week w/o seeing my frag tank on, then a week w/o seeing my display on. On the plus side, I can always see the refugium on

BIGGUN · Mar 27, 2009

WOW I really have to research lighting schedules again. When I first got in it seemed that 10 was about the norm so I went with that and never looked back. I guess it's time to look back.

Kevin

cloakerpoked · Mar 27, 2009

Not sure 10 hours would hurt your coral, but it sure would make algae a pain in the butt to deal with.

Misled · Mar 27, 2009

Mine is 6 1/2 hours. Comes on at 4:30, goes off at 11:00.

Paul_N · Mar 28, 2009

If you think about it, running lights 6 hours as opposed to 8 you will get an extra 730 hours or 121 days or as opposed to 10 hours you will get an extra 1460 hours or 243 days. You would save $ from electrical costs due to reduced hours and buy new bulbs less often. Just a thought.

BIGGUN · Mar 28, 2009

Oh I can see A LOT of advantages to it.......I just figured that to get the best growth and color you would want a longer day.

Kevin

Misled · Mar 28, 2009

Think also, as your tank matures and your corals mature, everything in the tank "KNOWS" when the lights are comming on. The tank starts comming alive about an hour before the lights come on. One reason I don't change the timers when daylight savings time rolls around.