New t5 lighting question

[Tguzler]

Just installed new coralife t5 lighting with two 10,000k lights and two actinic bluelights I have never had the actinics and not sure how I should use them in the lighting scheme. I was using two regular 10,000k flourecents (sp) in my 95 gal pentagon from 7:45am to 7:30pm. I also just added my first 3 corals to the tank so I know that plays into it. Can someone please help?

Thanks
Scott

 

[Gti_Leo]

well most peopel will say do an 8 full light cycle but use your actinics 1 hour before and after to simulate a dusk and dawn

 

[Tguzler]

Thanks for the info Leo, is it to much to leave them on longer? Or is 8 hours the max

Scott

 

[Gti_Leo]

most say 8 hours so you don't influence algae growth, but the way i see it is if your water perameters are all in check and everything is kept spotless why not leave them on longer, in nature the sun is out for 15 hours a day as well i leave my lights on from 6 am to 9pm and i have very little algae growth and only have 3 sand sifting snails and 1 grazing snail

 

[Fishbone13]

Is it better to have the blue actinic light up front and the other lights in the back. The reason i ask is that the lights in the back just shine over the rocks and the other pair shine on the front of the display tank where the fish are most active. Does it even matter?

 

[Gti_Leo]

no it doesn't really matter, but if you know how to wire fixtures i might suggest rewiring it so that you can split up the actinics and still have them controlled by the same switch