Shorter & Brighter Light Cycle?

[tmhasara]

Is there any downside to using a shorter and brighter light cycle, as opposed to a longer, more dim one?

 

I'd prefer to enjoy a bright tank while I'm at home in the evening.

Thanks.

[IanReefer]

I use LEDs (steves) and run a 14 hour cycle for the past 4 years with no ill effect. In fact, my corals are growing better than ever compared to T5s. I have sunrise around 9 in the morning and sunset at 11pm because I stay up late.

[Matteo]

You could simply have it brighter while you are home for a couple hours as a "peak hour"

[jedimasterben]

Or just completely move your light cycle. There is no sense in the lights being on earlier in the day when no one is around to see it. My photoperiod starts at 11AM and ends at 11PM, so I have a normal 12 hour period but it is tuned so that I can enjoy the majority of it.

[Matteo]

I have mine 10-10 but will probably switch 11-11 because I am in my living room till around then anyway.

[jamescstein]

Or just completely move your light cycle. There is no sense in the lights being on earlier in the day when no one is around to see it. My photoperiod starts at 11AM and ends at 11PM, so I have a normal 12 hour period but it is tuned so that I can enjoy the majority of it.

 

Out of curiosity how often do you feed your fish? My lights are from 6:30 to 8:30 otherwise I wouldn't be able to get 2 feedings in.

[jedimasterben]

Out of curiosity how often do you feed your fish? My lights are from 6:30 to 8:30 otherwise I wouldn't be able to get 2 feedings in.

On average three times a day. Some days if I go somewhere and don't come home they'll usually get one or two at most, but usually three or more.

[Nano sapiens]

Is there any downside to using a shorter and brighter light cycle, as opposed to a longer, more dim one?

 

I'd prefer to enjoy a bright tank while I'm at home in the evening.

Thanks.

 

As long as the 'bright' period is not too bright, or on too long, should be fine for the corals. To achieve good coral pigmentation, it only requires a few hours of bright light (as long as the intensity is sufficient during the period for optimal production of pigmentation).

[Horerczy]

My light cycle is 4PM->2AM since I sleep mornings and work afternoons. Corals and the maximini dont give a flying fig Newton.

[R_MC]

This article may be of interest to you: http://www.gvsu.edu/rmsc/interchange/2013-september-connections-795.htm

should give you an idea of what a typical PAR bell curve looks like...in michegan... not exactly the equator...but it's still helpful to see. I'd suggest scaling the graphs out and up to approximate what it looks like down south.

 

What's important to understand is that the "Natural" conditions are not necessarily the "optimal" conditions. I suspect that there is no real benefit of dimming the light on "growth". What you really want is to max out the coral's photosynthetic activity and then cut the light completely when the activity drops below a set efficiency. Most coral can only maintain peak photosynthetic activity for 4-7 hours. After that you start feeding the algae more than the coral.