VHO Lighting schedule for new tank (still cycling)

[stevil]

I just added 50 lbs of live rock to my first tank (90 gallon) this weekend and have a question about how long and often to run my VHO lights (one white one blue).

 

I've read that lighting should be limited for the first period of time, but it was pretty unspecific - don't run them 12 hours a day until it cycles.

 

I'm planning to incrementally add new live rock up to ~150lbs total in the next few weeks. The current rock came from an established tank and has some mushroom, coralline, and other random growth on it, so I'm not anticipating a big 'shock' from cycling with that batch. I may cure the new rock separately, depending on where it comes from and what state it is in.

 

The tank is not sitting in complete darkness - it's in our living room which gets ambient sun-light throughout the day.

 

Currently I have it the timer set to run for 3 hours in the morning (5:30-8:30)and 5 hours at night (5pm-10pm).

 

Is this ok, or are there any recommendations for a different schedule?

[rocko918]

If it were me, i would run the lights from 10 to 10 or 9 to 9. Also you may want to add more lighting. You said one blue and one white vho. i am assuming they are 110 watt each. I would add 2 more at the very least.

 

hth

[Lee Stearns]

two daylight periods is not very natural- The closer to nauture that we can keep our systems the easier it is to keep. That being said we all cram into a 2x2x4 cube more life varieties and quantities- esp the end of the chain items such as fish than could ever be found on any 100 gallon peice of reef. I am not sure what your un-natural lighting cycle would do for the photo synthesis period on any corals- If it is a fish only with live rock- you have less issues though it is somwhat unnatural for the fish as well , not sure what their immune systems would do with a 5 hour twilight period in the middle of their day. One note on lighting do not incrementally buy your way up- If you believe you might want some of the beautiful lps corals such as torches, frog spawn and hammers, and then someone gives you that "free" bit of digitats that you want to see grow- then you are changing the requirements of what your system can keep- It is best to set up the mixed reef from the start. rather than buying several different lighting systems one after another as you "upgrade" to keep something different than what you first wanted in the nixed reef. Hey I have the cancelled checks to show that trying to go cheap and later upgrade doesn't make sense. I concur with Bob- 4 VHOs over that 90 would be better and give you the flexibility to run two as actinics 12 hours and two as white maybe 6-8 hours in the middle of that period. And that combo of lighting should support about anything you would want to keep.

[stevil]

I'm strongly considering a MH setup w/ 2 10k bulbs to compliment the VHO, which maybe I will get this weekend.

 

I see that a natural cycle would make better sense so I'll fix it to run for one period of time.

 

I guess specifcally I'm wondering what the recommended short-term lighting time should be right now with just the live rock in a brand new aquarium that hasn't cycled - still 12 hours?

[quazi]

I run 14 hours with 330 watts VHO on a 55 gallon tank. Works great. It is not too much for a live rock tank. However, I worry about algae growth. So, a 12 hour cycle may be OK. What scavengers do you have (snails, hermits, etc.)?

[stevil]

What scavengers do you have (snails, hermits, etc.)?

45541[/snapback]

Nothing yet. My tank so far is literally 90 gallons of saltwater and 50 lbs of live rock - I'm planning to get more cured rock this weekend and adding the live-sand bed.

 

After I'm sure things are stable then I will add a scavenger crew.