Tips for acclimating tank to 6 on / 6 off photoperiod?

[dtruitt]

I've been doing some reading about running more than one photo period in a day. It sounds like this substantially increases growth rates, and with the tank set to run fallow for 12 weeks once I've caught all of our fish, I think I have a great window to experiment with a lighting schedule that would be stressful to the fish.

How would I acclimate the tank to this? As I see it, I have two options:

1. Lengthen my photo period gradually, add a dip in the daily peak, move the peaks further apart, and then gradually drop the lights out during that middle period.

2. Jump straight from current photo period (11 hours with 4 hours peak, 2 hours of ramping, and 5 hours with lights set to their minimum possible brightness), to two 6 hour photo periods consisting of ramp up, ramp down, and the same peak brightness.

In some ways, I think the change to the new schedule will present a lower "daily" light integral without those 5 hours of minimal lighting. I would expect that light shock should not be a concern in this situation, but Im curious for others' thoughts.

 

[proxy001]

Without reading the research paper I find it odd.
Would a lighting with cloud settings work for you?

 

[dtruitt]

Without reading the research paper I find it odd.
Would a lighting with cloud settings work for you?

No. The theory behind shorter photo periods is that many corals will only absorb light for a short window of time between 2 and 6 hours, depending on species and the specific study. Generally, stony corals will only deposit calcium carbonate during the "night," so there needs to be a period of total or near total darkness between peak periods. Anecdotally, hobbyists have claimed substantially faster growth with this sort of photo period, but no one online has documented how they made the switch.

 

[Trey]

Wow I’m interested in this. Given that I work from 9am-9pm most days, and am usually up until 2-3 am. This would allow me more viewing time for the tank!

 

[dtruitt]

Wow I’m interested in this. Given that I work from 9am-9pm most days, and am usually up until 2-3 am. This would allow me more viewing time for the tank!

When do you run your lights?

More importantly, when do you sleep?

 

[Trey]

When do you run your lights?

More importantly, when do you sleep?

Tanks not up and running yet but I’m thinking of going 1pm-1am.

Sleep hah! Who needs that.

 

[dtruitt]

Tanks not up and running yet but I’m thinking of going 1pm-1am.

Sleep hah! Who needs that.

If you work 9am to 9pm, why not run the photo period from 9pm to 9am?

 

[ReefBeta]

I did that at the beginning of this year, just jump straight to split schedule. Didn't notice any obvious stress to either fish nor coral. But the dark period in the middle is not totally dark, just a lot dimmer, like 20% of peak. The room won't be totally dark in the middle of the day anyway. I did that to have better viewing time before and after work. Not really for growth benefit.

Last month I switched it back to just one schedule since now I work from home and look at the tank a lot during the day. Also just change it, no gradual acclimation whatsoever. Also didn't seem to impact anything.

 

[dtruitt]

I did that at the beginning of this year, just jump straight to split schedule. Didn't notice any obvious stress to either fish nor coral. But the dark period in the middle is not totally dark, just a lot dimmer, like 20% of peak. The room won't be totally dark in the middle of the day anyway. I did that to have better viewing time before and after work. Not really for growth benefit.

Last month I switched it back to just one schedule since now I work from home and look at the tank a lot during the day. Also just change it, no gradual acclimation whatsoever. Also didn't seem to impact anything.

Hoping to pick up an Apex tomorrow. Im going to get right to it then. Worst case scenario I can change it back.