2 Periods of Light Hours per day

[chongk]

Hi reefers,

I have a 5ft tank with fish, LPS and softies, with 4x80W ATI T5 tubes (2xwhite, 2xblue).

Is it possible to have 2 lighted periods of 4 - 4.5 hours instead of a continuous lighted period of 8 - 9 hours? As it gets really hot in the day, I was thinking of lighting the tank in the mornings (7am - 11am) and evenings (6pm-10pm).

This would also be convenient for me to feed the fishes before going to work in the mornings, and back from work at evenings.

Any thoughts if this is detrimental to the corals?

[reeftask]

Hi reefers,

I have a 5ft tank with fish, LPS and softies, with 4x80W ATI T5 tubes (2xwhite, 2xblue).

Is it possible to have 2 lighted periods of 4 - 4.5 hours instead of a continuous lighted period of 8 - 9 hours? As it gets really hot in the day, I was thinking of lighting the tank in the mornings (7am - 11am) and evenings (6pm-10pm).

This would also be convenient for me to feed the fishes before going to work in the mornings, and back from work at evenings.

Any thoughts if this is detrimental to the corals?

Yes you can. Im doing that. But seems that your lighting period a bit low. I maintained 6hrs on/off timer for many many yrs and corals still growing. In fact some nobody seen before.

[chongk]

Bro reeftask,

How many hours should I switch on for the blue and white lights respectively? In the past, I had white light on most of the time, and I noticed my corals such as gonio and mushrooms would bleach ...

Yes you can. Im doing that. But seems that your lighting period a bit low. I maintained 6hrs on/off timer for many many yrs and corals still growing. In fact some nobody seen before.

[dnsfpl]

my lighting hours

0630 moon light on

0700 blue light on

0730 white light on

0730 moon light off

1030 moon light on

1030 white light off

1100 blue light off

1130 moon light off

1730 moon light on

1800 blue light on

1830 white light on

1830 moon light off

2130 moon light on

2130 white light off

2200 blue light off

2230 moon light off

refugium light 2130 - 0730

is my lighting hours okay?

thanks

[reeftask]

Bro reeftask,

How many hours should I switch on for the blue and white lights respectively? In the past, I had white light on most of the time, and I noticed my corals such as gonio and mushrooms would bleach ...

Well, I dont have much experience playing with 2 different lights.

I use MH 20k on main tank : 6am-12pm and 6pm-12am. Sometimes my hand itchy, I prolong another half hour on each.

Another 3ft tank and 2ft tank were having blue and white lights. Both switches same time.

I think it doesnt matter which colour should on first but matter of how much light does your corals need. So just switch both on together at the same time will do.

[reeftask]

my lighting hours

0630 moon light on

0700 blue light on

0730 white light on

0730 moon light off

1030 moon light on

1030 white light off

1100 blue light off

1130 moon light off

1730 moon light on

1800 blue light on

1830 white light on

1830 moon light off

2130 moon light on

2130 white light off

2200 blue light off

2230 moon light off

refugium light 2130 - 0730

is my lighting hours okay?

thanks

My eyes goes beserk after seeing these time tables, LOL.

I like your moon lights but I always have no time to install one. Now I gave up, LOL.

Isnt moon light is for night and when the sun is down?

The light is only 4hrs so it is considered too less. Suggest you to schedule it to 6hrs on/off. 15 mins before main lights off, moon light is turned on and moon light turns off after main lights on for 15mins.

I suggest refugium to have 13hrs on or follow the schedule as the main tank.

At night, the nature's water chemistry is different so it is better to follow that: maintain all lights in the main tank and refugium to switch on/off at the same time. If you have too much algaes in your tank, better to have some decent flow of water or you can use the skimmer as an aeration help. This is because at night, the bacteria and algaes produces alot of CO2 and consumed O2. I have used my skimmer to boost the O2 level instead of skimming for many many yrs. If no skimmer, perhaps a small air pump?

Hopes this helps.