Lighting times.

[Hollywood]

I have a quick question about the lenght of time my lights should be on during cycling. A friend told me that I should start the itinic one hour before the whites come on and leave them on for about on hour after the whites go out. With the whites and itinic on for about 5 hours. Is this correct?

 

[melosu58]

That will be OK for the cycle. You could leave them on a little more when the tank is done cycling and you have fish and corals in the tank.

 

[roka64]

I agree with Mike. I leave mine all on at the same time and run an 8 hour photo period.

 

[Hollywood]

Thanx. So no one hour before and one hour after?

 

[roka64]

There are some folks that like to do it that way. I used to until a few power outtages and I got tired of resetting the timers.

 

[Hollywood]

Lol that has happened to me twice in about a week.

 

[roka64]

This is one of those questions that will get you many different responses. You can mess around with the different timings and find something you like.

 

[CatatonicBug]

There are some folks that like to do it that way. I used to until a few power outtages and I got tired of resetting the timers.

Ever thought of using a battery backup timer? I just bought one for $8.00 at Target. It has a few little watch batteries in it and a digital display. I also plug my air pump into a UPS (uninterruptable power supply) that I use for my DSL router.

 

[cmor1701d]

I have my actinics come on an hour before the MHs and off an hour after. The actinics are on for a 12 hour photo period and the MH's are on for 10. During cycling there is no need for the lights unless you want to see the tank. All the lights do is help algae get started. LR that is curing at the lfs is in tanks without lights.

 

[Hollywood]

cool thanx

 

[melosu58]

I think alot of folks do the 1 hr before and 1 hr after on their actinics. I know I do. The 50/50`s are on 10hrs.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Pretty much agree with the others... I have my actinics come on 30 minutes before the main, and stay on an hour after the mains go out. Only reason for the difference is someone's actually around in the evening to see the actinic lighting.

 

[Hollywood]

I thought the mains should only stay on for about 8 hours. Ten is alot no?

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Not necessarily. I suppose it depends if you're having issues with algae or not. I run my main 10k lights for 10 hours, with the actinics 30 minutes before and 60 minutes after. No algae issues here, and everything is doing fine in the tank. (This is compact flourescent, mind you. MH may be different.)

 

[cmor1701d]

My tank is 99% Indo-Pacific. That area (equator) normally gets 12 hours of sunlight each and every day. So 10 hours of 10k with 12 hours of actinic is not too much.