New T5 lighting, I need a lighting schedule!?

E

Evangrant12

Okay so I just purchased a new T5 lighting set-up it has 2 actinic and 2 12k super day light bulbs! and 4 led moon lights.
I also just bought the coralife Aqualight digital power center...

I am currently running a FOWLR tank but want to start adding some softies, mush rooms etc, maybe a anemone for my true perculas.

So If someone could give me advice on a lighting schedule, That would be great!
 
It's really up to you.definitely make it 1 continuous light cycle. Meaning don't turn them on and off during the day. Plan on leaving the on between 8 and 12 hours a day. Have your actinic come on for about an hour before your day lights and stay on an hour after you daylights. Hope this helps.
 
Okay, well I will experiment with it tomorrow. With the product actually in my hands!!!
I was messing around with the timer and felt like committing suicide after, so many numbers.....! haha jk
I am glad you told me about the moons, I heard from different people saying do leave them on all night, don't leave them on all night..
Well I dont usually get up till late prolly 10 ish or so and dont get off work till 9, So I wanna see my tank still lit up when I come home from work..
So I have came up with this...

3pm actinic on
4pm full day 12k on
12pm full days 12k off,
actinic remain on till 1 am
1am-5am led moon lights.

Well What do yall think...? too much too little???
 
im sure he means like follow the sun sort of thing but you will be just fine like that...many, many people run almost complete reverse cycles in california because of the electricity costs during the day
 
Hi,

Not to alarm you but I would do a bit of research on that unit you are using and it's link to a few fires.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/equipment/26075-coralife-power-center-warning-5.html

Cheers,
 
As long as the tank is not near the windows, then it doesn't matter if the lighting follows the sun... you are "creating" the sun with the lights and that is what they will follow. Mine are;

ON
11am actinic
12pm 12k

OFF
9pm 12k
11pm actinic

Moon
11pm - 3am
 
hate to bump this, but what's wrong with having hte moons on all night...I've done that for years...and never had any negative effects.
 
Hmm Idk! I keep mine on for almost four hours!

MY current schedule is:

Actinics on @ 3 off @1am
24k's on @4 off @ 12p
lunars on @ 1am off @ 4am
 
I cannot individually control my lights except to turn them on or off. My moon lights are leds are my moon lights and I have experimented with them for over a year and really haven't seen any thing plus or minus so I have turned them off for the summer.

zaphod
 
the thought is that moonlights emit alittle bit PAR. so in doing so i doesn't give the coral time in total darkness to rest. Ive never really used moon light myself. i found theres really no need for it. i do however have moonlights but i only use them when i want to have a night time peek at my tank.
 
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