Help with light schedule.

R

rocketpop

I have a Current SUNPOD with 150w HQI, 6 Blue LED, and 6 White LED.

I currently have the HQI running from 8am to 8pm and I run the BLUE LED run 24 hours a day. I am not using my WHITE LED at this time.

I was thinking about have the BLUE LED come on at 6am, then the WHITE LED come on at 7am and then the HQI come on at 8am. I would then reverse that order by having the HQI power off at 8pm and so on and so forth.

Does that sound like a plan?

Should the tank ever be totally dark (no lights)?

Does it harm any thing if I run BLUE LED 24/7?

Thanks,
 
12 hours is pretty long for the MH. Yes, the lights should be off at "night". I have SPS, LPS and a few fish and I run MH from 12-8, T5s from 11-9. 9pm until 11am, the tank only gets natural light from the room. My fuge light runs during the 11-9 for the chaeto.
 
My actinic comes on at 10:30am. MH at 11:30am. MH goes off at 9:30pm. Actinic off at 10:30pm. When the MH turns off the moonlights come on and stay on until the MH turn back on. My fuge light turns off from 2:30pm - 6:30pm.
 
I'm a firm believer in true lights out for periods of time, thus moonlights are more for your benefit than the tank itself. Even the little amount of light can disturb the night cycles in tanks, so use them sparingly while allowing a true night black out in the tank.
 
OK, thanks for your replies.

I set the timers last night:

I am turning the BLUE LEDs on at 8am, then the WHITE LEDs come on 9am and finally the HQI comes on at 10am.

Then I am turning off the HQI at 8pm, the WHITE LEDs off at 9pm, then BLUE LEDs go off at 11pm.

There are no lights running from 11pm to 8am.
 
That sounds like a great schedule. Gives you time to enjoy the tank and plenty of light for the creatures. Your algae issues should change now too.
 
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