Lighting duration

[Minmay]

Hi all, so I have fluval 13.5g AIO. I turn on the daytime lights at 7am and turn on blue light at 2pm and the blue light stays on until next morning 7am....So, would you say that 8hrs daytime lights and rest blue light is fine for the corals I have as listed below. Thank u

 

Candy cane

Acan

Various Mushrooms

GSP

Clove polyps 

 

[TheBig053]

Are you running the stock lights?  I am no expert but running the actinic all night seems like too much to me. Your critters should have a lights out/dark period as part of a natural cycle. 

 

I also have the EVO 13.5 and have been using the stock light. I haven't been able to find a timer yet that can control the light from blue to white and back, so i've been doing it manually.  I turn the actinic on first thing when I get up ~6am and then switch to the whites around 7:30-8 depending on when I leave for work. I turn them back to the actinic setting when I get home around 5:00-5:30 PM and then off completely around 8:00-8:30 PM.  I'm pretty sure this is too much light but I don't have an option for something more customizable at this time.  I think my zoas are unhappy with the amount of light as they havent really fully extended since being added to the tank.  I will be moving them lower in the tank this weekend to see if this helps with the light intensity.  All of my other corals seem to be doing well.  

[CronicReefer]

There is no reason to ever have moonlights unless you are attempting to create moon cycles. Nighttime on the reef is extremely dark except under brightly lit moon nights and even then it is still dark. Set up a normal 12-14hr daytime cycle using the blues for dawn/sunset and the whites+blues for mid day.

[Minmay]

2 hours ago, TheBig053 said:

Are you running the stock lights?  I am no expert but running the actinic all night seems like too much to me. Your critters should have a lights out/dark period as part of a natural cycle. 

 

I also have the EVO 13.5 and have been using the stock light. I haven't been able to find a timer yet that can control the light from blue to white and back, so i've been doing it manually.  I turn the actinic on first thing when I get up ~6am and then switch to the whites around 7:30-8 depending on when I leave for work. I turn them back to the actinic setting when I get home around 5:00-5:30 PM and then off completely around 8:00-8:30 PM.  I'm pretty sure this is too much light but I don't have an option for something more customizable at this time.  I think my zoas are unhappy with the amount of light as they havent really fully extended since being added to the tank.  I will be moving them lower in the tank this weekend to see if this helps with the light intensity.  All of my other corals seem to be doing well.  

Yes for now im using the stock lighting. Everything in my tank seems to be thriving. Even the candy canes and superman mushrooms that im nursing back from death. I got it as a combo at my LFS for $30 but the candy canes werent doin well. 

2 hours ago, CronicReefer said:

There is no reason to ever have moonlights unless you are attempting to create moon cycles. Nighttime on the reef is extremely dark except under brightly lit moon nights and even then it is still dark. Set up a normal 12-14hr daytime cycle using the blues for dawn/sunset and the whites+blues for mid day.

Ok I'll try this...I need a timer. Any suggestions on which timer would work for the stock lighting on Fluval evo 13.5?

[IanReefer]

It's hard to beat the usual 14 hour cycle, with a blue sunrise in the morning, whites following an hour or so later, then the whites turn off in the evening, then the blues follow an hour later.  That's a pretty natural diurnal cycle, just like the ocean.  I've been scuba diving plenty of times and the first and last color all reefs see every day is blue, not white.

 

 

[Minmay]

35 minutes ago, IanReefer said:

It's hard to beat the usual 14 hour cycle, with a blue sunrise in the morning, whites following an hour or so later, then the whites turn off in the evening, then the blues follow an hour later.  That's a pretty natural diurnal cycle, just like the ocean.  I've been scuba diving plenty of times and the first and last color all reefs see every day is blue, not white.

 

 

Ok so, when Im sleeping the lights should be completely off? Then when I wake up turn on the blue for an hour then the white then evening turn blue for an hour then off again for the night?

[CronicReefer]

4 hours ago, Minmay said:

Ok I'll try this...I need a timer. Any suggestions on which timer would work for the stock lighting on Fluval evo 13.5?

For this type of lighting there is probably no way to manually control the channels without rewiring the inside of the light and installing an LED controller. If you want to upgrade your lighting to something controllable I would go with one of these lighting fixtures for a shallow tank like yours. 

http://www.marinedepot.com/Current_USA_Orbit_Marine_LED_Aquarium_Light_LED_Light_Fixtures_for_Aquariums-Current_USA-CU04100-FILTFILD-vi.html

http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaMaxx_NemoLight_AquaMarine_Nano_LED_Fixture_With_Controller_18_Watts_LED_Light_Fixtures_for_Aquariums-AquaMaxx-UJ94547-FILTFILD-vi.html

Both of these have good options for the price and will work great for you. 

[Minmay]

3 minutes ago, CronicReefer said:

For this type of lighting there is probably no way to manually control the channels without rewiring the inside of the light and installing an LED controller. If you want to upgrade your lighting to something controllable I would go with one of these lighting fixtures for a shallow tank like yours. 

http://www.marinedepot.com/Current_USA_Orbit_Marine_LED_Aquarium_Light_LED_Light_Fixtures_for_Aquariums-Current_USA-CU04100-FILTFILD-vi.html

http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaMaxx_NemoLight_AquaMarine_Nano_LED_Fixture_With_Controller_18_Watts_LED_Light_Fixtures_for_Aquariums-AquaMaxx-UJ94547-FILTFILD-vi.html

Both of these have good options for the price and will work great for you. 

Thank you for the info. I will definitely check this out!

[Clown79]

The lights should not be on 24/7.

 

How you choose to run the 12-14hr cycle(start/end) is really your personal choice and with your schedule.

 

Mine start at 11am with 2 hr ramp up(blue only) 1-8 full spectrum, 2hr ramp down(blue only), 2hrs moonlight for my extra viewing pleasure.

 

You should have blues on for 1-2hrs before whites, then white and blue, then blues for 1-2hrs only then off. 

 

Someone on here is using a timer with their evo stock lights, can't remember if its the coralife dual timer powerbar.

 

 

[wmo168]

Why don't you run your light few hours later so when you off going home from work that you can enjoy the tank

[blackpure]

Don on the lights 24/7. It's not good. Set the timer for lighting and it's better to use LED lights so that we can set the timer and different colors too. 

[Minmay]

On 5/17/2017 at 1:15 PM, wmo168 said:

Why don't you run your light few hours later so when you off going home from work that you can enjoy the tank

I work from home. I only go into the office once a month for meetings or if something is wrong with my laptop. So i pretty much always find a reason to step away from work to stare at my tank lol

[Minmay]

7 hours ago, blackpure said:

Don on the lights 24/7. It's not good. Set the timer for lighting and it's better to use LED lights so that we can set the timer and different colors too. 

I just got Al Prime as recommended by so many members. Its a learning curve and I had more help from members on how to use the app rather then the lil quick guide it came with. So far im really happy with the light. The corals and my fishes seem to like it better too...much better than manually turning on a light that startle my babies. 

[TheBig053]

My wife works from home one day a week and usually sets up at the dining room table (tank is in the dining room).  I like to ask her if it makes her feel baller to have a fish tank in her office!

[Minmay]

1 minute ago, TheBig053 said:

My wife works from home one day a week and usually sets up at the dining room table (tank is in the dining room).  I like to ask her if it makes her feel baller to have a fish tank in her office!

Right!! Its so relaxing to watch the tank while working. Funny cuz I also have a FW tank and I've never gotten up so many times just to stare at it during "working" hours. 

[Clown79]

Major problems come with lighting a tank 24/7

[Minmay]

11 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

Major problems come with lighting a tank 24/7

Thanks for the info. I wasnt aware of that before. I got my Al Prime light a couple days ago. Still fiddling with it but the corals/fishes are much happier with this light