Lighting cycle question…???

F

fishjunky

How long are you guys keeping your lights on each day…I have a tank with mainly soft corals, a chalice, anenome, and zoos…I currently have sun rise and sunset set for 9 hours apart…so the lights are not on full blast the entire 9 hours…probably on full for about 8 hours…should I increase to 10 hours per day???
 
I am using the "Season Table" on my apex. It replicates the sun rise/set at 15degrees latitude. So this time of year my "sunrise" (actinics only) is an hour, followed by about 9 1/2 hrs of full lights, followed by 1 hr sunset. 11 1/2 hrs total. It gets to be a longer "daytime" during the summer months. I use the same option to copy the real temperature with my apex as well... fwiw.
 
My T5's run 13 hours and have for 6 years. 10 hours with all lights on and other split for sunrise/sunset.
 
I run t-5 from 9am to 9am. Halides kick on at 10am and are off at 5pm in the main tank. Frag gets an 2 actinic and 1 ati blue from 10 to 5pm and 4 more ATI blue plus for 3 hours mid-day.

No time is ideal.. you need to do what your tank and corals need. You can alter the timing a bit to fit your work schedule so you have some visuals at night but do what the tank needs not some general time frame.
 
Wow. In all my years if reefing i had no idea i was on the low side. I might have to bump it up now.
 
Thank you for the input…I am going to try the 11 hour cycle…sunrise at 12:00…full on at 1:00….sunset starts at 10:00…lights out by 11:00….my lights are LED lights only…no MH.
 
blues come on at 7:15 AM and off at 6:30 Pm
All lights on at 8:30 AM and off at 4:30 PM

BUT after getting my algae under control i will probably be increasing the times...
 
@Eckolancer wrote:
I run the time table on apex but have it set to a minimum of 9 hours. said:
Is there a way to make the apex automagically read the season table or do you manually set the outlet configuration to match the table?
Click to expand...
 
I run my radions on at 11:00 AM - 1 AM. there is a 1 hr ramp up sunrise. and a 1hr ramp down sunset. so at max sun, it's 12 hrs. But I run it only at around 55%. more 20k look for color.
 
You need to use "Sun" to get the apex to follow the season table for lights.

I use the season table but I want them to be on while I'm home in the evenings so I pushed the Sunrise and Sunset back 2 hours.

Here's my code:
--Actinics--
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Sun 120/120 Then ON
If Temp > 82.0 Then OFF
Min Time 030:00 Then OFF
--Whites--
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Sun 180/060 Then ON
If Temp > 82.0 Then OFF
Min Time 030:00 Then OFF
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top