Light cycle? (not TRON haha)

splix · 10/26/2015, 05:34 PM

I'm still trying to figure out the cycling that is best for my lighting before anything goes into my tank.
I have full spectrum LED's. The chinabox 165w, 4 of them.

I can control the white/red/green, and blue is on another channel.

Do you keep your blue on during the day with your white/red/green?

I'm lighting between 8am and 7-8pm with white/red/green/blue. Then switching to only blue until about 10:30pm.

Billy1205 · 10/26/2015, 06:39 PM

I'm using ocean revive T247, my light schedule as follow:

3.30pm - 4.30pm = Blue
4.30pm - 10.30pm = white/blue/red/green
10.30pm - 11.30pm = Blue

Ron Reefman · 10/27/2015, 06:59 AM

It really doesn't make a spits worth of difference to the critters in your tank. Do a sunrise and sunset or don't, the reefkeeper cares about that WAY more than the animals (including corals) in the tank do.

As for running blue leds during the day when the white leds are on... ABSOLUTELY! The zoanthellae in your corals use the blue spectrum to do photosynthesis. Now there is some blue spectrum in white light, but more is better. Most (not all... but most) reefers run even higher blue power levels during the day than they do white (with red & green).

I do long sunrise (5 hours) with the power ramping up to a midday od 3 hours at 90% blue and 40% white, and then a 6 hour sunset. Both the sunrise and sunset are much more blue at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day than at midday.

splix · 10/27/2015, 09:12 AM

That helps honestly. I know there are 500 thousand things to watch out for in this hobby, being able to rule one out is good. haha

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Reefman

It really doesn't make a spits worth of difference to the critters in your tank. Do a sunrise and sunset or don't, the reefkeeper cares about that WAY more than the animals (including corals) in the tank do.

As for running blue leds during the day when the white leds are on... ABSOLUTELY! The zoanthellae in your corals use the blue spectrum to do photosynthesis. Now there is some blue spectrum in white light, but more is better. Most (not all... but most) reefers run even higher blue power levels during the day than they do white (with red & green).

I do long sunrise (5 hours) with the power ramping up to a midday od 3 hours at 90% blue and 40% white, and then a 6 hour sunset. Both the sunrise and sunset are much more blue at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day than at midday.

CStrickland · 10/27/2015, 09:39 AM

I notice a diff in my animals when I started running the blues a couples hours after the whites. When the lights just shut off suddenly everyone panics and darts to the closest safe hole. When the blues stay on longer a couple fish dart when the whites cut out, and the rest sort of make their way to their preferred bed over about 20 minutes.

splix · 10/27/2015, 10:35 AM

I'm mostly curious about health benefits. I've just noticed that people use blue for show, and full spectrum for growth and health. I just didnt know if it was worth the energy and was needed for me to keep my blue on with my full spectrum.

10/26/2015, 05:34 PM	#1
splix Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Indiana Posts: 374	Light cycle? (not TRON haha) I'm still trying to figure out the cycling that is best for my lighting before anything goes into my tank. I have full spectrum LED's. The chinabox 165w, 4 of them. I can control the white/red/green, and blue is on another channel. Do you keep your blue on during the day with your white/red/green? I'm lighting between 8am and 7-8pm with white/red/green/blue. Then switching to only blue until about 10:30pm.

10/27/2015, 06:59 AM	#3
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	It really doesn't make a spits worth of difference to the critters in your tank. Do a sunrise and sunset or don't, the reefkeeper cares about that WAY more than the animals (including corals) in the tank do. As for running blue leds during the day when the white leds are on... ABSOLUTELY! The zoanthellae in your corals use the blue spectrum to do photosynthesis. Now there is some blue spectrum in white light, but more is better. Most (not all... but most) reefers run even higher blue power levels during the day than they do white (with red & green). I do long sunrise (5 hours) with the power ramping up to a midday od 3 hours at 90% blue and 40% white, and then a 6 hour sunset. Both the sunrise and sunset are much more blue at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day than at midday. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

10/27/2015, 09:39 AM	#5
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	I notice a diff in my animals when I started running the blues a couples hours after the whites. When the lights just shut off suddenly everyone panics and darts to the closest safe hole. When the blues stay on longer a couple fish dart when the whites cut out, and the rest sort of make their way to their preferred bed over about 20 minutes. __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

10/26/2015, 06:39 PM	#2
Billy1205 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 68	I'm using ocean revive T247, my light schedule as follow: 3.30pm - 4.30pm = Blue 4.30pm - 10.30pm = white/blue/red/green 10.30pm - 11.30pm = Blue

10/27/2015, 10:35 AM	#6
splix Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Indiana Posts: 374	I'm mostly curious about health benefits. I've just noticed that people use blue for show, and full spectrum for growth and health. I just didnt know if it was worth the energy and was needed for me to keep my blue on with my full spectrum.