Time cycles and lighting

[robo100]

Hello folks,
I have an 80 gallon reef tank that I have started and have setup my lighting and timers as follows:

7:00 AM
130 watts of CF lighting at 10,000K turn on

7:30 AM
130 watts of CF lighting atinic turns on
350 watts of metal Halide lighting turns on, 20,000K

8:30 PM
350 watt metal halide and 130 watt CF shuts down

9:00 PM
130 watt CF lighting at 10,000K turns off

Does this sound right? I don't have any coral yet but want to get into SPS coral so I wanted to make sure the lighting was right. does it sound like I have enough light what about the length of time I am keeping the lights on. The tank area is 4' long and about 22" from the water surface to the sand.

 

[wrightme43]

That sounds fine.

 

[Scooterman]

Normal daylight is around 12 hours a day, your most intense part is between 10am & 2 pm so you could run your mh from 10am till say 4pm & they should get enough, save your power bill some.

 

[Krish]

I agree with Scooter. Also, some people like to start their photoperiods with just actinics and end with just actinincs. That's how mine use to be on my first ever pc setup.

 

[bc_slc]

Also, if you are having heating issues, you can push the whole cycle to later in the day so that the hotest part of the New mexico day is not also the peak for the hot lights. I also think that I would run all actinics - would save you a switch.

Mat