Photoperiod for coral

[patrick123]

Hi,

I have a 6x2.5x2.5 reef tank and I'm keeping all LPS and softies.

I have a 3x150w MH and the timer is currently set to 8 hours for all the 3 lights.

My question is, is it more beneficial to the coral if I on all 3xMH light for 8 hours, or should I alternate and switch on 2 of the 3 MH light for 12 hours?

Which one is more important to the LPS and softies? Longer lighting time or higher intensity of light?

Thanks,

Patrick

[diabolus]

try to mimic the sun lor.

on the centre MH 1st, 1 hour later on the other 2 MH.

then night time, off the 2 on the side, then 1 hour later, off the middle one.

1 Mh - 1 hr(daytime)

3 MH - 8 hrs

1 mh - 1 hr(nighttime)

total photoperiod - 10 hrs.

Just me babbling anyway.

[patrick123]

Good idea, but my mh fixture only come with one A/C cord and only one timer.

So it is either 8 hours or 10 hours. Should I just stick to 3xMH for 8 hours instead of 2xMH for 12 hours?

[diabolus]

depending on the corals that you have.

i keep mine on for 10 hours.

[patrick123]

Bro,

Do you see any difference in the coral growth comparing 8 or 10 hours of light?

[hamannbmw]

anything between 8-12 hours is fine

[RAV-65]

I'll go for 10 hours... I notice that after 10 hours, my corals seem to stop photosysthesizing, coz my ph starts to go down... so I guess they need about 10 hours lights?!

Juz my $0.02...

[patrick123]

How do you tell whether the coral is photosysthesizing or not?

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I'll go for 10 hours... I notice that after 10 hours, my corals seem to stop photosysthesizing, coz my ph starts to go down... so I guess they need about 10 hours lights?!

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The reason I'm asking this is, we also don't want to waste electricity unnecessarily right? If 8 hours and 12 hours are the same, then why pay more?

[patrick123]

upz

[shoelevy]

Bro,

Do you see any difference in the coral growth comparing 8 or 10 hours of light?

i use 7hrs and my frogspawn grow like crazy

[patrick123]

when you say grow, are you talking about just the fleshy part or the skeleton as well?

[minsmarine]

mime SPS 95% , my T5 is on for 7hrs only. but coloring and all my SPS are only 9" max away from the light.

all depended on what you keep and where you keep.

[shoelevy]

when you say grow, are you talking about just the fleshy part or the skeleton as well?

well...my frogspawn's only been in for 2weeks so its growth is only limited to the flesh

hope that's wat you're hoping to hear

if u ask me aniwae...i'd sae 8hrs is gd for lps and 10 for sps with yr kinda power

[djviper]

i on my 3mh 150w for 5 hrs and my 4 pl for 6hr

corals look fine to me