Light on too long for coral?

MiamiZach · 08/27/2011, 05:31 PM

Hey, I'm sort of new to this hobby, and these forums. Any help would be appreciated. I just bought a used 90 gal tank w coral in it and was wondering something about the light. Light enters my place a bit, but not super bright, at about 8 AM. I have the lights on the timer for the tank for the blue light from 2-10 pm and the white from 3-9. So basiclly the coral are getting some light from 8-2 (and they open up) and then artificial light from 2-10. I was wondering if the 14 hours of light is too much. My local aquarium store said not really, the only concern would be for too much algae growth. But i have to figure in nature, theyre getting only 12 hours, and I feel like they rely a lot on the length of light.. Is this an issue?

shaginwagon13 · 08/27/2011, 06:14 PM

I don't know how your house is set up but I doubt from 8-2 your tank is getting the strength of lighting your tank is gonna be requiring for stuff like SPS corals (if thats what you wanna put in your tank). Just because its light outside doesn't mean your tank is getting the intensity of light required to sustain corals. I have seen very very few tanks that can use natural light to grow corals in a tank, I would suggest you monitor your corals closely, and possibly run your lights in those morning hours.

philosophile · 08/27/2011, 06:20 PM

+1 on everything above. Plus natural light is going have more red in it which might encourage undesirable algae growth.

08/27/2011, 05:31 PM	#1
MiamiZach Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 37	Light on too long for coral? Hey, I'm sort of new to this hobby, and these forums. Any help would be appreciated. I just bought a used 90 gal tank w coral in it and was wondering something about the light. Light enters my place a bit, but not super bright, at about 8 AM. I have the lights on the timer for the tank for the blue light from 2-10 pm and the white from 3-9. So basiclly the coral are getting some light from 8-2 (and they open up) and then artificial light from 2-10. I was wondering if the 14 hours of light is too much. My local aquarium store said not really, the only concern would be for too much algae growth. But i have to figure in nature, theyre getting only 12 hours, and I feel like they rely a lot on the length of light.. Is this an issue?

08/27/2011, 06:20 PM	#3
philosophile Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,149	+1 on everything above. Plus natural light is going have more red in it which might encourage undesirable algae growth. __________________ 90 gallon mixed reef XPS1000SSS skimmer, 2 radions gen 1, tunze osmolator w/ kalk dispenser, 70 lbs pukani, mp40w x2; 1 tomini, 1 clown 2 mandarins. Vinegar dosing, and micro bubble scrubbing.

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08/27/2011, 06:14 PM	#2
shaginwagon13 Chartered Accountant Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 2,219	I don't know how your house is set up but I doubt from 8-2 your tank is getting the strength of lighting your tank is gonna be requiring for stuff like SPS corals (if thats what you wanna put in your tank). Just because its light outside doesn't mean your tank is getting the intensity of light required to sustain corals. I have seen very very few tanks that can use natural light to grow corals in a tank, I would suggest you monitor your corals closely, and possibly run your lights in those morning hours.