light cycle too long?

[Skeptic9962]

is this light cycle too long...

i have a 250w DE 20k helios with 4 T5s on a 32 gal. hanging about 6 in above the tank

cycle:

T5s on: 10am
halide on: 12pm
halide off: 8pm
T5s off: 10pm

is this too much light? the tank is (SPS/clams/acans only)

thanks

 

[kevinpo]

Hello,
It is just about right IMHO. I run my halides about 9 hours when using supplemental lighting.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[kimo4848]

Sorry to jump in but i have a question. If you run halides only should I heard you should run them for 11 or 12 hrs, would this be okay. I have sps, lps.

 

[kevinpo]

If you run halides only should I heard you should run them for 11 or 12 hrs

Yes that is correct. I run 11 hours when using halide lighting only.

HTH,
Kevin

 

[slim_jim989]

wow i didnt know that you run the halide only bulbs for longer times

 

[ErikAnderson]

interesting, i keep my halides on for about 8 hours.

i will bump up the time for sure.

 

[slim_jim989]

yeah i was running mine for 7 hours but used to always get alot of bubbles everywhere come to find out its my phosphate haha and thats the reason for the alge too

 

[Myteemouse]

I run my MH for 10 hours 9am - 7 pm then the moon lights come on!
But now I got atantic 96w PC hooked up gonna reduce to 8 hours!

 

[kevinpo]

I run 11 hours when using halide lighting only.

This is for my viewing pleasure not for the corals or fish. They will do just fine with 8-12 hours of halide only lighting.

Cheers,
Kevin

 

[tat2z_21]

I always wondered about the halide lighting schedule. To me the halides are a replacement for mid day sun. When the sun is at it's brightest. I run my lighting the same as all of you 10 hours 2x250w and 12 hours for my 2x96w pure actinic. I wsa just always curious on why we do this. Because in the natural environment (which we try our hardest to duplicate) they only get this type of lighting for about 4 hours out of a day. Would that be sufficient as well in a aquarium system.

 

[Bricky]

I'm running my 8 - T5's for 12 hours, 2 - 250w 20k for 9 hours, and 3 - 400w 10k for 6 hours. All the corals look great and I don't have to consume as much power if I were to run the 400's for 8 - 10 hours.

 

[Krish]

The ocean sees sunlight from sunrise to sunset so as suggested, I think you're good

 

[kevinpo]

Light schedule for coral growth and health really depends on the coral and how you like it to appear (coloration). In the summer I used to have to reduce my halide lighting to 7 hours because of the heat (3,000W of light generates quite a bit) and several of my Acropora species lost the bright blue coloration on their tips but 50 or so other SPS corals remained exactly the same. A few other corals darkened very slightly. They all still grew well but I really liked the bright blue tips so I run a minimum of nine hours for those few corals. I tested eleven and twelve hours but didn't see any color difference.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[tat2z_21]

The reason I brought up the mid day was because the sun is at it's strongest point when it is directly above, rather then 90 degrees out in which alot of the sunlight is bounced off of the waters surface. Thus the reason for supplemental lighting on timers to simulate the natural cycle of the sun. However as I said before I do run my Halides as suggested and my corals are very happy.

 

[dvdrumls]

wow i didnt know that you run the halide only bulbs for longer times