Hours of Light

I have been leaving the bright lights in my SW tank on for the recommended 8 hrs./day. The corals close up @ least 1 hour before this. Is this just a natural thing or am I leaving my lights on too long ?

 

I think that the corals just get used to the schedule and probably also depends on the intensity of the light. When they have their fill they start to go to close. I used to run a tank on a 10 hour and about an hour before, the same thing would happen, but not every coral would do so. 8 hours is a great amount of time for them. Some people do up to 12 which is too much IMO but like I said depends on the lighting I guess. Are they lights on a timer?

 

No, the lights are not on a timer. I don't have a lot of corals. I just about lost all of them by overdosing. Frequent water changes ( every other day for a week ) have helped. My calcium level is 360 so I have been dosing for that. I'd like it to get it up to 400 although I realize that 360 is not that bad.

My only corals are button, frog spawn, eucordia (sp? ) mushroom & Kenya tree frag It is only the frog spawn & tree frag that close up early. The frog spawn shuts so all you can see is the skeleton, but it is back the next day.

 

Perfectly normal I would say. Mine have done that for years, it is like they know somehow the time is winding down (sunset) and they start to get ready for night. I am curious as to how and what you think you over dosed.

 

I was using 2 different products, but not @ the same time. ( Liquid Reef & Kent's Coral Accel ) A member tipped me off to the fact that I really did not have to feed my coral in my 10 gallon. They would get what they needed form the light & when I fed the inhabitants. After a number of water changes, I think I have removed the toxins & the coral are very SLOWLY coming back to life.