What lights to use when??

Hello all,

I bought a AquaticLife 48" T5 HO light AquaticLife T5 HO Light Fixture. Currently I have soft corals including the fish in my signature below. (Prior to this light I installed today I have been running the stock lighting) The tank dims are 48" x 12.5" x 20". My light comes with 3 LED (moonlights), 2 420/460 T5 actinic lamps, and 2 700 T5 lamps.
My question is which lights do I run at what times? :-/
- Should I have the actinic lights on half the day and the white lights the other half? Or should I have all four of them on all day?
- Should I have the LED lights on all night? Are they only for the nights?
Thanks again for all your input!!!!!

 

I would recommend.. actinics on 1 hour before your daylights... daylights off one hour before actinics.. then moonlights on... For example:

Setup your timers like this (this is just an example)

Actinics kick on at 9AM - Moonlights kick off
Daylight kick on at 10AM
Daylight kick off at 9PM
Actinics kick off at 10PM - Moonlights kick on

 

i personally run my actinics 12 hrs a day. my ho's come on 1 hr after my actinics come on, and shut off an hour before actinics go out. moonlights i would imagine come on after both the ho's and actinics go out.

 

Lol we must have been typing at the same time...

 

Hi Kathy,

I am new to this also, but I have a 29g up for about a year, and a new 90g. I like to have my Actinic light come on about an hour before my day lights and then run them for about 10 hours. Then I have my day lights go off and then one hour later my Actinic bulbs go off. (kind of like dawn to dusk). After that I have my led moon light come on for a couple of hours or until you know you will be in bed and then I have them turn off.
Many smarter people on here than me will have other ways!

John

 

I was also... sorry!

 

At least we all gave the same answer!

 

You all are awesome...Thank you so much for the replies (and so quick-wow)!!!!!!!!!!!!! Karma to all!