How to setup my lighting.

[Benny503]

24" Coralife Lunar Aqualights Compact Fluorescent Strip Lights

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=12109&rel=1

(True Actinic 65W, 12000K Daylight 65W, 2 Blue Moon LEDs)

Coralife Power Center Single Digital

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+9685+11379&pcatid=11379

 

Anyhow, my question is how long should I light my tank? Currently I setup daylight and Actinic on at the same from 9AM-11PM (yes, I woke up early and sleep late). From 11PM to 9AM the lunar LED on at all the time. I just need to know how many hours can I leave my fish tank on? I would like to achieve a somewhat "Dusk/Dawn", I think I remember something from dsoz saying his tank had actinic on 1 hour before the daylight anh stay 1 hour after the daylight off. With the equipments I am having right now it's posible to have it setup like that? Thanks all.

[Benny503]

Mods and admin, I posted this topic in the wrong box. Please help me move this topic to "Equipment"

[dsoz]

Lights on too long leads to algae problems. You may want to cut back your photoperiod. You need to decide when you like to look at your tank the most. I prefer at night after a long day at work, so my lights come on about noon, then I leave them on until about 9:00.

 

I was not the one that has actinic on first and last, but it is a common idea. I have all my lights on the same timer, and they all come on at once. Someday I may get a second timer and have them on/off at staggered times.

 

I would cut back your photoperiod to 8-10 hours. Moonlights can be on 24/7.

dsoz

[Benny503]

Thanks Dsoz, I will cut back my photo hours. May be from 5PM to 11:PM? So it can help algea issue.

[mister crabs]

have the actinics come on for 8-10 hrs a day and the daylights for 6-8. either way get 2 timers and have actinics on 1 hour before daylights (dawn effect) and then on for an hour after (dusk effect) and like dsoz said keep the moonlights on all the time. it wont hurt anything.

[Benny503]

Yup, I am getting a cheap timer for my day tank... once my actinics on for 1 hour, then the daylight will be on.

[Barelycuda]

I run my actinics from 11am to 9pm, my flourescents from noon to 8pm, and my halides from 1pm to 7:30ish. It gives me the full daylight effect. Granted it takes 3 timers but I like it.

 

Dave

[kilmca]

I run actinics vho's from 1:00 to 1:30 and then the 10,000k vho's come on at 1:30 till 4 and then MH are on from 4 to 10 while the vho's go off. Both actinic and 10,000k vho's come on at 10 and MH go off, followed by the 10,000k at 11 and then the actinics at 11:30.

 

I have to have 3 timers but I too like the dusk to dawn effect.

 

I run 14,000k MH so I don't need to run actinic vho's.