One of my 29g: lite by 1x 150w 20K DE HQI, 2x 65w PC actinic, 2x 13w combo PC, 2x moonlights (1w'ers)
Moonlights = 24/7 (no need to put them on a timer, unless you want to extend their life)
Daylight (MH) = 10 hours
Actinic (PC) = 11 hours
Fan = same as actinic, put it on the same circuit or timing (canopy fan pushing out)
Fan #2 = same as MH cycle, but on a temp trigger @ 83 degrees (this one blows over the sump)
Thats how I run mine. A few really big SPS people I know (several thousand gallon of prop tanks among them) only run their MH for around 5 hours. Most have them turn on their lighting @ around 5pm and run it till 10pm. One of them uses VHO actinics which he runs for an hour prior and an hour after MH lighting schedule. Corals need the intensity, not duration per say, or so I've been told over and over
. I only run mine like I do cuz I like to view my corals alot
My new large prop system will be run on the 5 hour photo period due to heat build up and my feed amount (I feed heaviliy with rotifers to maximize SPS growth). I plan on using 4x 400w MH, 4x 4' VHO actinic on a custom prop tank of 6' long x 4' wide x 15" tall euro braced 3 face tank (4x 5w Luxeon oonlights on a dimmer run only at non MH hours). The 4th face will be one giant overflow taking up the entire 4' space. That's to allow maximum overflow space so not as much water builds up in the tank and to quiet the 5000gph I will be pushing thru it
It'll be skimmed by a Euroreef 8.3. and has a sump of 4' long x 2' wide x 2' tall. I figure since I'll have extra space under the stand (thats 4' tall) so I'm going to cram a few more smaller coral flats under it to be lit by T5's. Don't worry, pics will be uploaded once this system gets installed and wet
All the above systems have every type of coral & clam growing in them at a pretty good click.
