How Long?

[vtec si]

How long should I have my new MH on! Two hours twice a day? four hours once or twice a day? Should I do this for two weeks? they are 14" above the water now but I can raise or lower them if needed. they are 400w 2@15K 1@10K

Thank for the help,
Martin

[BubbaWPB]

I'm not an expert on lighting, but I do know a bit about biology. I'd just do one photoperiod per day instead of two.. it can confuse your animals' natural biological rhythms to do more than once per day.

Since most of us have tropical systems, aiming for 12h of total lighting (+/- 2h) is considered best for your animals. Now, how much of that you want to be "blazing hot noonday MH sun" is much more debatable. I run my actinic 12h and my MH for the middle 10h of the 12h the actinics run. I've heard of others using a shorter period of MH intense lighting.

Well, that's my 2 cents... anyone else have any thoughts?

[charlie]

How long should I have my new MH on! Two hours twice a day? four hours once or twice a day? Should I do this for two weeks? they are 14" above the water now but I can raise or lower them if needed. they are 400w 2@15K 1@10K

Thank for the help,
Martin

Martin,
What lites are you switching from. I am gonna be breaking in 2 400w 10k bulbs in the next month, switching from 400w 20k radiums. Kevin told me to go 4 hours for 2 weeks, 6 hours for 2 weeks, and then crank them up. I only run this particular set of halides 8 hours a day. HTH.

[vtec si]

I have switch to 400w MH 2@15k 1@10K from 8 VHOs 4@10k 2@50/50 2@super attinic.03 I plan on running my MH at 14" above the water for 4hours a day for two weeks and then lower the lights to 12" and run 6hours for two weeks. after that I plan on running them 8 hours a day.

Martin

[charlie]

Sounds good, just keep a close eye on your critters, they will tell you how good you are doing!!
Good luck, let us know how it is going.

[Reefland]

Hi Martin,

I think that is a good plan. You might consider 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, and moving them down slowly with each increase in length.

[showfish]

I tend to agree with Reefland. Slowly increase the duration and intensity as not to shock your animals.

[vtec si]

Hi Martin,

I think that is a good plan. You might consider 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, and moving them down slowly with each increase in length.

The only reason I stared with 4 hours was due to I am not using attinic lighting. So if they only get 4 hours of MH then its dark!

[charlie]

The thing is, you'll know pretty quick if something is going bad. Just keep an eye on the corals, and you'll be fine.

[vtec si]

Hey thanks guys! Tomorrow will be day three so I will let you know!

Martin