Lighting Question - How Long? (Pics) - 180 Gallon Tank

ibjhb · 03/28/2009, 01:37 PM

Hello all!

I'm slowly starting to stock my tank; I don't have much in it right now. I'm slowly adding live rock as I buy some each week. The tank is 180 gallons and has an pretty powerful lighting system.

I currently have ~30+ lbs of live rock (I know, I need more) and a few anemones on one of the rocks. They seem to be doing well and I feed them every couple days.

I'm trying to figure out how long I should leave my ligths on each day.

I have three 400W Radium HRI-T bulbs (very bright) and 2 banks of 2 (4 bulbs total) purple lights (I think they are 6' long each).

Here's the 400Ws:

Here's more about my tank:

http://180gallon.blogspot.com/

Here's the whole tank before I started stocking it:

Here's a picture of the lights:

Geodriller · 03/28/2009, 01:52 PM

By the sounds of you have aiptasia or majanos on the LR. If that is the case I would be trying to kill them not feed them.

If you are still cycling you dont need to run lights at all. after all is said and done and you have corals, w/ that amount of light you should be fine w/ 6-8 hours of daylight a day.

ibjhb · 03/28/2009, 01:59 PM

The tank has been running since January and isn't still cycling.

Here are the anemones:

They aren't very open in that pic (that was after I first brought them home three weeks ago).

I'm running the main lights for 8 hrs a day now but was reading online that I should be running them 10-11 hrs but wasn't sure if that was necessary.

Geodriller · 03/28/2009, 02:09 PM

IMHO it is not necessary to run your lights that much (10-11). I think you are fine as is.

Cool nems to. what are they, black anemone?

nice looking linkia aswell

ibjhb · 03/28/2009, 02:12 PM

Honestly, I'm not sure what kind they are. They're dark reddish (not black). I'll take some pictures later when they are fully open so you can get a better idea.

Geodriller · 03/28/2009, 02:17 PM

cool.

They may be RBTA

03/28/2009, 01:37 PM	#1
ibjhb Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Posts: 66	Lighting Question - How Long? (Pics) - 180 Gallon Tank Hello all! I'm slowly starting to stock my tank; I don't have much in it right now. I'm slowly adding live rock as I buy some each week. The tank is 180 gallons and has an pretty powerful lighting system. I currently have ~30+ lbs of live rock (I know, I need more) and a few anemones on one of the rocks. They seem to be doing well and I feed them every couple days. I'm trying to figure out how long I should leave my ligths on each day. I have three 400W Radium HRI-T bulbs (very bright) and 2 banks of 2 (4 bulbs total) purple lights (I think they are 6' long each). Here's the 400Ws: Here's more about my tank: http://180gallon.blogspot.com/ Here's the whole tank before I started stocking it: Here's a picture of the lights:

03/28/2009, 01:52 PM	#2
Geodriller Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Pekin, Illinois Posts: 257	By the sounds of you have aiptasia or majanos on the LR. If that is the case I would be trying to kill them not feed them. If you are still cycling you dont need to run lights at all. after all is said and done and you have corals, w/ that amount of light you should be fine w/ 6-8 hours of daylight a day.

03/28/2009, 01:59 PM	#3
ibjhb Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Posts: 66	The tank has been running since January and isn't still cycling. Here are the anemones: They aren't very open in that pic (that was after I first brought them home three weeks ago). I'm running the main lights for 8 hrs a day now but was reading online that I should be running them 10-11 hrs but wasn't sure if that was necessary.

03/28/2009, 02:09 PM	#4
Geodriller Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Pekin, Illinois Posts: 257	IMHO it is not necessary to run your lights that much (10-11). I think you are fine as is. Cool nems to. what are they, black anemone? nice looking linkia aswell

03/28/2009, 02:12 PM	#5
ibjhb Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Posts: 66	Honestly, I'm not sure what kind they are. They're dark reddish (not black). I'll take some pictures later when they are fully open so you can get a better idea.

03/28/2009, 02:17 PM	#6
Geodriller Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Pekin, Illinois Posts: 257	cool. They may be RBTA