Lighting cycle..

[Takara]

What does everyone run on their timers?

 

[yukyuklee]

10:30AM actinics
11:00AM fan turns on
12:00PM Daylights
12:00PM LED's turn off
6:00PM Daylights turn off
8:00PM Fan shuts off after cooling the MH
11:00PM Actinics turns off
11:00PM LED's on

 

[afboundguy]

noon ati blue plus bulbs on
1:30 daylights on
8:30 daylights off
10 ati blue plus bulbs off

 

[frank180reef]

I was wondering if an irregular cycle was best. for example I leave 2/3 of my 250 W off on Mondays,,,, is this good bad or indifferent?

 

[pillowfish]

There is not sunshine 365 days a year on any reef.I don't know if I would consider an irregular light cycle good, bad or indifferent-it depends on how irregular you are talking about. People often change their light cycle between the winter and summer months as well as for holidays.

In the above scenario you mentioned, I see no issue with doing it. Leaving the MH off for 2/3 for the day on Mondays would be good for electricity consumption but really have no affect on the tank itself. I doubt that leaving the lights that little of time would have any impact on algae growth or algae control either.

I often will leave my MH's either off or turn them on much later in the day if the temperature outside is going to be over 85-ish. I also occasionally leave them off a day here and there just to cut back on electricity use to be more efficient with the tank.

 

[paulthomas]

Doesn't the Profilux controller throw in a random day with less or no light to simulate overcast days? I'm planning on using T5s only, every now and then, to replicate overcast days.

Here's the schedule I plan on trying out in the beginning:

12:00 p.m. ATI Blue Plus/Giesemann Pure Actinic 03 ON
12:30 p.m. KZ Fiji Purple/Giesemann Pure Actinic 03 ON
2:00 p.m. Giesemann 14.5K MHs ON
8:00 p.m. Giesemann 14.5K MHs OFF
12:00 a.m. ATI Blue Plus/Giesemann Pure Actinic 03 OFF
12:30 a.m. KZ Fiji Purple/Giesemann Pure Actinic 03 OFF

 

[stingythingy45]

3:00pm- halides and fans on
10:30pm-halides off and one intake fan
10:45pm -exhaust fan goes off

I read an article once that suggested shutting the lights off at least 2-4 times a month for a day.It helps maintain a nice white sand bed.

 

[frank180reef]

thanks

 

[paulthomas]

I read an article once that suggested shutting the lights off at least 2-4 times a month for a day.It helps maintain a nice white sand bed.

That sounds good to me.

 

[frank180reef]

Everything else being equal at least you save on electricity...