Mr. Microscope Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 Right now I have a 11 hour photo period. This is only because I read somewhere to use between 10 and 12. So, being the dork that I am, took it literally. I've read some tank theads with 8 hour photo periods, some with 12. I understand we're trying to simulate nature here, but any other reasons? My lights are pretty intense. Would my tank benefit from a shorter period, or does more light just mean more food for the photosynths? Do corals get, "full"? I know that zoas expell their zoos sometimes (I've seen it on mine once or twice). Does this have more to do with the light intensity, photo period, or is it a combination of the both? I never really see this talked about much. Most people don't even list their photo period in their thread. If they do, there's no explaination. Link to comment
Austin Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 Corals do their "growing" during lights out, believe it or not! My PP is 8 hours. 70w MH over 12gal. Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted July 23, 2010 Author Share Posted July 23, 2010 Corals do their "growing" during lights out, believe it or not! My PP is 8 hours. 70w MH over 12gal. Say what?!! Wow. I'll have to seriously research this now. Thanks. Link to comment
chucktdbm321 Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 usually 8 for me sometimes 10. When im away for vacation or something i'll do 6 so there is not as much algae growth on the glass and etc. And yes the corals always look really good. Edit: Seems like most people have long photo periods just to observe the tank at different times during the day. It would be a cool experiment to see if a frag would grow faster under 5 hours or 10 hours of light. Link to comment
racechase Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 i do 10 hours, cuz i love to watch my tank all day long Link to comment
kamikaze_fish Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 I have 1 tank that's at 9 hours, it's my main display tank. I have my frag tank at 7 hours but it's by a window and supplemented by the sun for 4 hours. I have my pico at 10 hours. Also, I don't have a reason why on any of them other than the frag tank other than to keep the algae down a little. Link to comment
Pickle010 Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 I've read about people who keep lights on anywhere from 7 to 10 hours or so but on the flip side someone here was doing a broken photo period because they had read it was more beneficial to give the corals a 4 hour blas of light then a break followed by another 4 hour blast. The logic being that they only get so much benefit from the light and use that benefit when the lights go out. I don't know how well it worked out or if it made any significant difference but thought it was an interesting concept. I'd deffinately like to see some results or comaprison. If I recall divecj was playing around with shorter photoperiods. Link to comment
gimme Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 My PP is 8 hours. 70w MH over 12gal. that's my exact set up. i also have my lunars on for about an hour before and after. Link to comment
adinsxq Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 about 2 hours per day during the week, maybe 4 or 5 hrs each on saturday and sunday or whenever i'm home Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted July 23, 2010 Author Share Posted July 23, 2010 I've read about people who keep lights on anywhere from 7 to 10 hours or so but on the flip side someone here was doing a broken photo period because they had read it was more beneficial to give the corals a 4 hour blas of light then a break followed by another 4 hour blast. The logic being that they only get so much benefit from the light and use that benefit when the lights go out. I don't know how well it worked out or if it made any significant difference but thought it was an interesting concept. I'd deffinately like to see some results or comaprison. If I recall divecj was playing around with shorter photoperiods. I've read about this. I think it is mostly for SPS. about 2 hours per day during the week, maybe 4 or 5 hrs each on saturday and sunday or whenever i'm home ??? Seriously? 2 hours? Link to comment
adinsxq Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 yes. 150w radium, 14g. quick blast Link to comment
gabe_j Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 2x24 t5s 2.5 inches from the surface on a 7 inch deep tank from 10am-7pm Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted July 23, 2010 Author Share Posted July 23, 2010 yes. 150w radium, 14g. quick blast How's your growth? Link to comment
Bill Nye Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 I go 9 hours a day. 12 - 9. I have a 70 watt MH over a 5.5g Link to comment
scottyreef Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 In my frag system i run a 4 on / 8 off / 4 on / 8 off / light cycle I get great growth with this method This is a quote from Practial Coral Farming by Miguel Tolosa 4 on 8 off light cycle There have been some experiments exploring the benefits of maximum Zooxanthelle alage production by using a alternating light cycle of 4 hours on and 8 hours off. The Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology Found that Motility, Or growth, In the cells of Zooxanthelle alage " occurred only during the period of illumination and lasted 8-9h, with a peak at 2.5-4h after lights on." It is this peak at 2.5-4h that has given rise to farms based on the 4 on 8 off light cycle. there has been increased coral health. The amount of growth depends upon the corals being farmed, but nearly all coral show marked improvement using this light cycle. You can find this article in the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and ecology Volume 298 Issue 1, 7 January 2004, Pages 35-48 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=A...e275ae882467702 Link to comment
topbloke Posted July 24, 2010 Share Posted July 24, 2010 6 hour for MH's and 8 hours for T5 Atinics Link to comment
Oceanus Posted July 24, 2010 Share Posted July 24, 2010 I do around 8 hours. Seems good, I try to emulate natural lighting. Link to comment
sogreedy23 Posted July 24, 2010 Share Posted July 24, 2010 i do one similar to you, Scottyreef..i also read about a 4 hour photo period and just wanted to try it..i do 10-2 (then my break from class) then 6-11..this also worked well since i'm home exactly when the lights are on then usually turn in as the lights go off..i've experience great growth, mostly in my duncan that's becoming my show piece. i started out with 2 heads and received them in april..now i have 4 adult heads and about 8 or 9baby/medium heads..i notice that both of my frogspawns are fully extended for the full photoperiod, instead of only in the middle. it's also helped stabilize my temperatures as well since i used to run no heater while in my dorm (now it's by a vent so i use it). overall i like what it's done, i probably should look into the 8 hour break but not sure on what times i'd have them on in that instance Link to comment
CarrillXXP Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 This was interesting I wonder if anyone is running a 4 on 8 off photoperiod. Link to comment
banshee Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Any thoughts on what would be best for a BC14 with stock lighting? I want to keep zoas and ricordeas plus I have 2 red leg hermits and a trochus snail. Planning to add a shrimp or two and a pair of clowns eventually. Still running with lights on only for 4 hours or so right now just so I can stare at it and daydream. Link to comment
londonloco Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Interesting thread, even if it is 18 months old. There are some fw planted people that do "siesta" lighting period, 4 on, 2 off, 4 on sort of thing. Supposedly it helps keep algae down in a fw planted tanks. Never thought of it for a reef. Anyone else still doing this? Link to comment
CarrillXXP Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I may start trying it but I wonder if it has negative effects on other types of coral. Link to comment
kevlow Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I am very interested in this subject and have been shortening the photo period in my tanks. I am leaning to more intense lighting for shorter duration. 10g tank has 72w LEDs for 6 1/2 hours, no dusk/dawn effect. Much better growth and color then 10 and 8 hour light cycles. 35g shallow display tank has T5s. 48" Tec 6 suspended 8" over 7" deep tank. Not real happy yet w/ T5s. Two bulbs on for 9 hours. All six for 3hrs. May shorten it to 7 hours for two bulbs and increase to 4 hours for all six. Link to comment
cuber14 Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Any thoughts on what would be best for a BC14 with stock lighting? I want to keep zoas and ricordeas plus I have 2 red leg hermits and a trochus snail. Planning to add a shrimp or two and a pair of clowns eventually. Still running with lights on only for 4 hours or so right now just so I can stare at it and daydream. I do 4 in morning and for in evening so my kids can veiw before school and I can relax and watch at night. I have good growth great color,I am going to buy new timer so i can put on actinics one hour before and after full lights. Link to comment
sjnovakovich Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I use the stock LEDs on a Nano Cube 29 advanced LED This is my lighting schedule. Twilight 9:00 to 11:00 Dayligt 10:00 to 20:00 Twilight to 20:00 to 21:00 Moonlight 20:00 to 10:00 I'm new and so are my corals so I don't know what the growth pattern is going to be yet. Link to comment
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