[organicreefer]

i would like to hear how everyone has set up their light shcedules.
for example my plan is:
10 am-actinics on 2x110w vho's
11 am -left side 175w 10k on
12 pm-right side 175w 10k on
2 pm center 400 w iwasaki on
6 pm center 400w iwasaki off
8 pm left 175w off
9 pm right 175w off
10 pm actinics off -moonlight on

[golfish]

lets see, it something like this.......

1- 8-9am the sun slowly comes up and lights up the tank room.

2- 10am the 400 watt Iwasaki slowly comes on. Goes off about 8pm

3- About 11am the two 250 watt HQI's come on even slower. Off about 11pm

4- The 4x55 watt Actinics come on about 3pm and go off about 12am

[YoHo]

Okay, I have a rediculous question.
If you took a slice of real reef the exact size and shape of your tank and watched for a day. Do you really think the intensity from one side to the other would change as drastically as that?


Unless you have some way to dim MH, I would think it would be better to raise the intensity of both sides of the tank at the same time.

Given the size of the environment. I can't imagine the corals care at all.

[golfish]

YoHo,
I don't know what Organicreef's reason is for lighting his tank the way he does. I don't see any problem with it. All the corals seem to get the same amount of light.

I guess I should have gone into a little more detail on my lighting. The Iwasaki that comes on first is in the middle of my 4 foot long 150 gal tank. Right over the glass cross bar. This bulb pretty much lights up the whole tank. The two HQI's are on each side of the Iwasaki and come on at the same time. The 4x55 watt PC's are mounted in the same reflector as the Iwasaki.

To answer your question. I would think that in some cases it might. I'm sure there are lots of people who light one said of the tank first and then shut that side off first.

[organicreefer]

Originally posted by YoHo
Okay, I have a rediculous question.
If you took a slice of real reef the exact size and shape of your tank and watched for a day. Do you really think the intensity from one side to the other would change as drastically as that?

Given the size of the environment. I can't imagine the corals care at all.

yes i do think intensity would definitely change,probably much more than i could ever hope to simulate in my tank.and since it would,i think the corals will care.
the vho's simulate twilight (before and after you can see the sun in the sky)
the 175's are the rising and setting sun,and the iwasaki simulates the midday sun ,when light intensity is at its highest.

from tra:"light intensity gradually increases over the day,peaking between 1100 and 1400 hours,after which it gradually decreases again.therefore ,high light intensity is only present a few hours a day".........."values range from a low of 2800 lux in the morning to 14000 lux by 1100 hours and fluctuated after that pointdue to intermittent sun and cloud,between values of 17000 to 22000 lux with peaks at 26000 lux from noon till 1400 hrs..,falling quickly again in the late afternoon to values betwwen 9000 and 7200 lux."

[Emperator]

Since I am a lazy reefer here is my schedule:

6:30 am: sun comes up and begins to illumate my living room
1:00 pm: 2 -250watt MH kick in
1:30 pm: 3 - 140 watt actinics come on
1:00 am: MH turn off
1:45 am: actinics go off

[golfish]

What!!!! No Moon light

[JG]

Mine is pretty simple.

9:00am..... 220w VHO actinics come on
10:30am..... two 400w Radiums come on
8:30pm..... two 400w Radiums turn off
10:00pm.....220w VHO actinic turn off

[mrok12]

The salt guy at a LFS has a 150 gallon acro frag tank and he has a similar schedule. The reason he states is that this stimulate passing clouds and weather patterns. He said that since corals are not always under intense light he lights the tank in this matter. He also mentioned something about assimilation,photosysnthesis and light induced bleaching from O2 radicals? I think if it works do it!!!

[organicreefer]

yes there are many reasons for not having constant strong illumination,after all its completely unnatural.you mentioned bleaching,it is possible strong constant illumination could tax the corals ability to detoxify oxygen produced by zooxanthellae.still another possiblity is the duration of exposure to IR light and its potential to literally heat up the animal itself.

[organicreefer]

Originally posted by golfish
What!!!! No Moon light

ive never used a moonlight myself ,but ive decided i should have one,every reef in the ocean does it doesnt usually get completely dark in the ocean on shallow reefs,and ive read that many /most fish will be more at ease if the have a "nightlight" .not to mention that a natural moon cycle has been shown to induce both fish/corals to spawn.simple enought to add a little 25w blue incandescent,and it just makes the tank a more "realistic" little setting,imo.i also like the fact that it will add another "look" to the tank, that along with the many different looks it will have throughout the day as the lighting changes will make it more interesting,for me

[newreefman1]

Mine is rather boring. Refugium is lit with 2x9watt PC 24x7 hrs.

My main tank is lit by 1 150 HQI MH 10k bulb. Goes on at 11 am, off at 10 pm.

I get alot of algae


Jason

JASON'S LIT REEF

[YoHo]

I can understand the clouds and so forth, that makes sense.

I also have no doubt that it works. I'm just wondering if its needed.

For instance, on a 100% no clouds, sunny day, take 2 light meters out and set them in a parking lot or some such where there is little to block the sun at any time of the day (no shadows) set them about 4 feet apart and then record the intensity throughout the day. I have serious doubts that on a fully sunny day you'd ever see the meters read different. At least not as different as a 175Watt 10K would be.

I understand the Iwasaki mimicing noonday sun. I just don't get why the 2 175s don't go on together.

I'm a novice though, so I'm looking more for info then to criticize. Like I said, the cloud Idea makes sense.

[organicreefer]

yoho,
the idea is to "ramp up" ,"peak" then "ramp down" the lighting,as would happen in nature.did you read what i posted from tra above?the amount of light does change as the day goes on,even on a sunny day with no clouds not to mention that the sun does move across the sky,so my halides start on one end end at the other..i wish i had a way to mimic the passage of clouds ,but for now my lighting schedule will do imo.and no its not neccessary(many have success with constant intensity),but it is certainly more realistic,imo.

[organicreefer]

i should also add that my tank is four feet and even with just one 175 on one end and 2 vhos on, the whole tank is still very much lit,it just sends shadows in a different direction,and dont forget as golfish pointed out,the whole tank does get the same total amount of light throughout the day ,just not at the same time.