switching lighting time

[darron863]

is it ok to switch lighting time from day to night my current lighting schedual is noon- 10 pm and was thinking that it might help to switch my timing out of the heat of the day to help keep the heat out of the living room during the hotest part of the day.i know i wont have the veiwing time i have now but might save a little on electric bill.

 

[melosu58]

I dont see why not.Do you have a reef tank?

 

[darron863]

yes i have a 75 gal reef, just thought it might save a little on the electric bill with the heater(mostly runs at night) and ac with less heat in the room.
how would i go from one lighting schedual to the other. a little at a time or just lights off one day to lights on that night.

 

[cmor1701d]

How big a switdh do want to make? A total switch from noon-10pm to 7pm - 5 am.

I would shift the light pattern by an hour every few days till you got where you want it. There is some evidence (Red Sea soft coral) that for the Zooxanthellae "that the rhythm is entrained by light cues and is not due to an endogenous circadian rhythm"

So you should be fine.

 

[melosu58]

I agree with Cmor a little at a time will be best.

 

[Ziggy953]

I agree changing it suddenly could cause issues. Take an hour off at the start of the photo period and add it to the end until you get to where you want it.

 

[cmor1701d]

Imagine that, the three of us agreeing on something

 

[darron863]

thanks for the advice i will start the swing this weekend and see what happens

 

[Ziggy953]

LOL...great minds do think alike

 

[roka64]

You can switch it to come on right after the hottest part of the day, around 2PM in a lot of places, depending on your location. I run mine from 2-10.