Lighting duration

[thakki]

I have been turning off my led's for about 7 hrs every day since I started my tank...just wanted to check if any one else is doing the same thing. I have few LPS and SPS corals in my tank. I am using 2 evergrow's it series. I have them running at custom setting to a max or 60 and 40 on blue and white resp for 2 hrs daily and then bringing them back and turning them off at 11pm. All the corals are doing fine...but they don't seem happy when the lights are off...next day morning they are all back to normal and happy...is this okay?

[jimlin]

making sure i understand this. you leave your lights on for 15 hours a day?

[YHSublime]

Yes, your corals sleep. When they wake up, they slowly will swell and open up again.

[DuffyGeos]

Can you post your "on time" (8am), duration (15hours), and "off time" (11pm) and at what percent  40% ramping up to 60%, then back down to 40% after 6 hours) we can get a clearer picture of your lighting schedule. Thx.

[Jason Rhoads]

I only run my lights 12 hours a day (9am-9pm)

[wildcrazyjoker81]

Wow I only run mine for 9 hours a day. T5's on at noon, Halides on at 2 and off at 6, T5's off at 9. Maybe my lighting period is too short. I wonder if 15 hrs from the OP post is too much.

[JeffG93]

Wow I only run mine for 9 hours a day. T5's on at noon, Halides on at 2 and off at 6, T5's off at 9. Maybe my lighting period is too short. I wonder if 15 hrs from the OP post is too much.

 

This sounds about right to me.  It all depends on the OP's intensity.  LEDs on full blast 15 hours a day seems crazy to me.  I've actually been *decreasing* my photo period lately.  I'm down to 9 hours, 6 at or around peak intensity.  

[Fritz0id3937]

I run my evergrows 9am - 1am, 16hrs. I always wondered if anyone else ran as long as I do. Start very low - like 10-20% and ramp up slowly and peak at about 40%w 60%b for like 10hrs maybe, then ramp down more abruptly. My lights are only a few inches off the surface. I have a mixed reef with a bunch sps, everything is doing well. No algae issues. Only thing I've noticed is my rbtas might retreat into rock during that last hour or so.

[thakki]

Okay so here is the detailed duration. My LED's (2 Evergrow IT2040's) start at 6 am at 5/0 (blue/white) I believe...slowly going upto 60/45 till 2 pm. Thats the peak...never did more than that...this setting continues for next 2 hours till 4 pm. Then it starts going down slowly turning blue at 10/0 by 8 pm. Between 8 pm and 11 pm I have them going down to 2/0 and finally turning off at 11 pm. I have no issues with my corals...I just wanted to see if anyone here leave them at moon light over night...or do we need to do that. 

[DuffyGeos]

Okay so here is the detailed duration. My LED's (2 Evergrow IT2040's) start at 6 am at 5/0 (blue/white) I believe...slowly going upto 60/45 till 2 pm. Thats the peak...never did more than that...this setting continues for next 2 hours till 4 pm. Then it starts going down slowly turning blue at 10/0 by 8 pm. Between 8 pm and 11 pm I have them going down to 2/0 and finally turning off at 11 pm. I have no issues with my corals...I just wanted to see if anyone here leave them at moon light over night...or do we need to do that. 

 

Ok, not as curious as before! I actually run my LED's all night at 3% blue which is the lowest for moonlight.

 

Otherwise I ramp up at 7a to 11a, then 100% till 4p, then ramp down to 6p.

[YHSublime]

I used to run moonlights, not needed though.

[Origami]

My lights are on for a total of 10 hours a day, including a 1 hour ramp up and down on either end. When the tank goes dark, it's dark. No moonlights (though I used to use them).

 

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