Lighting Questions (please help me)

Discussion in 'New To The Hobby' started by Indiana Boy, Sep 26, 2010.

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  1. Indiana Boy

    Indiana Boy Coral Banded Shrimp

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    Location:
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    Hello all,
    I am (very) new to reefing. i have set up a 55 gallon tank with approx. 80 lbs of (mostly) live rock. i am using t5 high output lighting (odyssea brand).
    I need help with setting my timers. i have 2 actinic, 2 white, and 4 blue moon led bulbs. i dont know how long to set each lighting option for in order to mimic natural setting. Please help me. any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
    heres a pic
    JP
     

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  3. sostoudt

    sostoudt Giant Squid

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    most people turn the actinics on 2(a few) hours before the others and off a few hours after the others.
     
  4. droopymatt

    droopymatt Bristle Worm

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    i bring my actinics on at 10am and off at 7pm, main lamps on at 11 and off at 6, and i bring my moonlights on around 830 and run those till 1 am
     
  5. Indiana Boy

    Indiana Boy Coral Banded Shrimp

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    thank you for your comments. could you please give me an example of a lighting schedule. also, how many hours per day should i leave my whites on??? also, should i leave my actinic lights on along with my white lights??
     
  6. Indiana Boy

    Indiana Boy Coral Banded Shrimp

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    @ droopymatt thank you for the details
     
  7. sostoudt

    sostoudt Giant Squid

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    I don't use a timer but basically i run my 10k halide for around 12 hours(probably longer then I should), I do run a small actinic light for maybe 4 hours after the main light goes off.

    note I don't have main actinics on my tank hence I don't run them, but I should be receiving some in a few weeks.
     
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  9. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    Yes leave actinics and whites on together

    I aim for 12 hours of actinic and 10 hours of white/actinic combined

    so Actinics on at 9am and off at 9pm
    white lights come on at 10am and off at 8pm

    Steve
     
  10. yamaharider73

    yamaharider73 Kole Tang

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    Location:
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    moons on at 10:00
    T5 on at 12:00
    MH on at 1:00
    MH off at 6:00
    t5 off at 9:00
    moons off at 11:00