Lighting Durations Vs Daylight

thegrun · 02/05/2009, 04:04 PM

I have a JBJ 28 HQI tank (stock 150 Watt MH 14K and 4 blue moonlight LEDs) with the add-on 2-18 watt (36 watt total) actinic bulbs. I run my MH from 1:30 pm to 8:30 pm, my actinics from 10 am to 10 pm and my moonlight for an hour before the actinics start and an hour after they shut off at night. My tank sits in a fairly bright (with natural daylight) room. Even though it does not get any direct daylight, there is enough light to get most of the corals to at least partially open by 9 am. I like to run my MHs at night because that is when I am home to enjoy the tank, but am I giving the tank too long of durations of light? Should I shift the hours I run my lighting to better correspond with the natural daylight?

areze · 02/05/2009, 04:50 PM

my priorities are my own personal enjoyment, long as it doesnt **** off the corals to the point of looking crappy, they will suck it up.

ImprezaSTi · 02/05/2009, 05:15 PM

I do 2pm to 11pm because that is when Im at home, but my tank is in a dark room so they never know when the real sun rises.

snorvich · 02/05/2009, 06:07 PM

I have 9 hours at my convenience. Plus moonlights for 4 hours.

chris4869 · 02/06/2009, 09:31 PM

My schedule is almost like ImprezaSTi. My dawn/dusk doesn't even come on until 1 in the afternoon, and it goes off at 11 PM, so I can enjoy the tank when I get home.

02/05/2009, 04:04 PM	#1
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Lighting Durations Vs Daylight I have a JBJ 28 HQI tank (stock 150 Watt MH 14K and 4 blue moonlight LEDs) with the add-on 2-18 watt (36 watt total) actinic bulbs. I run my MH from 1:30 pm to 8:30 pm, my actinics from 10 am to 10 pm and my moonlight for an hour before the actinics start and an hour after they shut off at night. My tank sits in a fairly bright (with natural daylight) room. Even though it does not get any direct daylight, there is enough light to get most of the corals to at least partially open by 9 am. I like to run my MHs at night because that is when I am home to enjoy the tank, but am I giving the tank too long of durations of light? Should I shift the hours I run my lighting to better correspond with the natural daylight?

02/05/2009, 04:50 PM	#2
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	my priorities are my own personal enjoyment, long as it doesnt **** off the corals to the point of looking crappy, they will suck it up. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

02/05/2009, 06:07 PM	#4
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	I have 9 hours at my convenience. Plus moonlights for 4 hours. __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

02/05/2009, 05:15 PM	#3
ImprezaSTi Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 167	I do 2pm to 11pm because that is when Im at home, but my tank is in a dark room so they never know when the real sun rises.

02/06/2009, 09:31 PM	#5
chris4869 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 1,006	My schedule is almost like ImprezaSTi. My dawn/dusk doesn't even come on until 1 in the afternoon, and it goes off at 11 PM, so I can enjoy the tank when I get home.