How long to keep lights on?

[tony_caliente]

Is there a general rule of the thumb for how long to keep lighting on for a reef aquarium? For example, no less than 8 hours and no more than 12?

 

[skriz]

Not really, but I'd say anywhere from 6-14 hours. 6 would be the bare minimum imo.
I'm going to play around with my lighting schedule & staggering the lights. I'm going to try for a 12-14 hour light schedule!

 

[scrilla]

Found A Good Article:

 

[coolsurf]

Not sure if there is a general rule or not. I think a lot would be based on what corals you have. I have 2 clams and a lot of mixed corals so I do 10 hours. My other salt tank only has a couple softies so I only do 6 hours. Some folks do 6 days on and 1 day off.

 

[darren24]

I run 2 x 250W MH and I run 6-7 hours per day.

 

[salt reefer]

very nice artical as im trying to gather my lighting for my tank that was right on. thanks.

 

[tony_caliente]

Thank you. 25 years ago I maitained reef tanks with actinic and MH lighting. I though the ROT was about 10 to 12. I don't like the way my leather corals look. I have been keeping the tank lit for 8; I an goung to try closer to 10 and see what happens.

 

[tony_caliente]

All but my leather coral look great. I was wondering how much light they like. I have actinic and daylights, no MH. Thank you.

 

[tony_caliente]

Thank you.

 

[skriz]

The leather doesn't need much light. I would look into your water for a possible irritant for the leather.

Also, sometimes leathers just look 'blah' for a few days & recover to their normal selves.

 

[tony_caliente]

Thank you, but water quality is excellent. Maybe, I will move it farther from the.

 

[acroholic]

Leathers shed their outer skin (or mucous coating) and look like heck for several days then look good again. My green toadstool does this.

 

[dakota9]

Tony_Caliente;422354 wrote: Thank you. 25 years ago I maitained reef tanks with actinic and MH lighting. I though the ROT was about 10 to 12. I don't like the way my leather corals look. I have been keeping the tank lit for 8; I an goung to try closer to 10 and see what happens.

Where did you find actinic and MH lighting 25 years ago? The best I could ever do was halogen...... It's been relatively recently that
I've even heard the word actinic.

 

[ichthyoid]

Dakota9;422402 wrote: Where did you find actinic and MH lighting 25 years ago? The best I could ever do was halogen...... It's been relatively recently that
I've even heard the word actinic.

The first time I read of, or heard of, anyone using actinics, was in George Smit's FAMA articles which began in 1988. While some (rare few) used MH lighting the only bulbs available, as I recall, were 3000 and 4200K. The later development of 5000K bulbs was a 'big deal'. Actinics were difficult to obtain. Their only use at the time was for bilirubin lamps to treat bilirubinemia in infants with jaundice. This was 21 years ago, if my math is correct.

 

[grouper therapy]

What type leather is it My Figi yellow loves light it is about 12" from 500+watts