What photo period should I aim for?

[Spar]

I recently switched back to MH (4x 250w radium's w/ magnetic ballasts on my 450g). I only have about 8 frag sized corals (mostly SPS) in my tank, but not much coralline yet*. I have been running my MH's 6 hours per day, and wondering if I should increase that up to 8. I also run 156 watts of T5's just for accenting purposes (purple and blue) for 12 hours per day.

My concern here is that more photo period might decrease the speed of my coralline growth. Will it make much of a difference?

*I started with 600+ pounds of marco rock and then added 50 pounds of Walt Smith Live Rock about 3 months ago.

 

[Robby2782]

I stagger mine for 7 hours each with good results.

 

[bimmerzs]

I ran 10 hrs of (2) 400W mh's and 12hrs of ~500W of T5's/vho's and still grew coralline like crazy. You have to introduce different the types of coralline to the tank by either adding small pieces of LR with the different types on it, or by getting coralline scraping's from established tank's and adding that way also. That LR you added 3 month's ago should help out, coralline usually starts popping up pretty good around the 3 month period as long as your parameters are in-line especially magnesium.

Cheers,

 

[Guest]

I run mine for 7 hours a day 2 x 400 watts and 4 t5s the mh are staggered 30 mins apart


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[Robby2782]

@kuyatwo wrote:

Same difference here. I left out that detail. Only difference is I run 250 watt halides. My coralline grows like crazy.

 

[Spar]

what is the benefit of staggering? some residual light making it to the unlighted portion of the tank? seems like it would look pretty awful during that period.

 

[ERIKATHORNBURG]

I have 2 110w T12 Super Actinics and 2 - 175w halides over my display tank. The Actinics come on an hour before and go off an hour after the halides. The halides are on for 7 hours.