How Long should I set the PC light to run for?

[Choas]

I have polyps I am just wondering how long to set the timers for.

 

[lando]

10-12 hours a day is fine. If you have actinics and daylights seperated, you can set the actinics to come on an hour before and turn off an hour after your daylights for more of a "dusk to dawn" effect.

 

[Choas]

Thanks so Much.. The Reson I was asking is I was Just checking to see if I was told right. I have a Brown algea growing Like crazy in the tank and did not know if it was because of the light.

 

[lando]

It is possible it is from old bulbs. A new fixture should help with that. For now, I would cut way back on the lighting schedule, maybe run them 5-6hrs a day and do a series of PWC with RO/DI water to see if that helps the algae issue.

 

[Choas]

The Light bulb and Fixtuer is about 1 month and a half old.

 

[fishrfreinds]

how old is the tank ,and what type of water(tap or RO) do u use.

 

[Choas]

RO and the Tank is about 1 and a half old.

 

[flanque]

What are you feeding habits like in the tank? What are your levels at? Do you run a skimmer?

 

[Choas]

I have a Skimmer Running. I feed them Frozen Brine Shirm, 2 times a week The tang Frozen cube, and onces a week seaweed for the tank. 0Am, 0Nrite, and 2Nrate.

 

[Hara]

chances are the brown algae are diatoms, it is normal for them to be there in new tanks. You probably could cut down the lighting to 8 hours a day until you had serious need for it. If your tank contents list is current, you could use a heck of alot more snails. Also, a a side note, the choc chip will eat corals and unless you are seeing your mandarin eat the foods you put in the tank, it is probably not getting enough to eat.

 

[Choas]

The Mandarin Sits in the back cave hiding . He seems to come out when the light first goes on. He stays out for 2 hours then hides ret of the time. The Starfish I know it is bad. I have not seen him come off the Glass he Say by the filters or by the Mag-Float Glass Cleaner. The polyps open when the Light first kicks on. They stay open for 3 hour tops and then close. I also got my tang from PetCo and it is scared of everything. My Live Rock Has some Spots when it is cleaned off of White. Is that good? I mean White Like Snow. My Water Temp is 78.8

 

[flanque]

Yeah I wanted a mandarin but I don't believe I have enough pods to sustain it. What's worse is I don't think there are any local fish stores that carry any of those "starter kits".

 

[flanque]

Well I don't know if that's actually "worse" but you get the idea.

 

[Choas]

I love How it looks I just wish he would stay out longer.