Lighting Schedule

I will read other and probably find my solution...but here's my question. I have a 75 gallon tank, with a Current Light Fixture, a big jawn, consisting of two Metal Halide fixtures towards the middle, and four blueish florescent bulbs running the length.
How and why should i set these with my timers?

 

I found the box that it came in...it says Current 48" Outer Orbit, 2 x 150W HQI-MH, 2 x 130 W Duel Actinic, Model # 1042 QTY: 1;D

 

I run my MH for 6-8 hrs a day and the actinic for 10hr a day. When you get new corals you have to acclamate them to the light so reduce the hrs a day on your MH but keep the actinic the same. I Think this is how it should be done but I'm sure someone else will chime in who knows more then me

 

Is there a reason to run the actinic lights for 10 hours other than longer viewing time?

 

Its gradually brings in the lighting, as to avoid the shock of just cranking on the big boys from total darkness

 

The reasoning behind the lights being on a timer is to set up either a dawn to dusk or a 24/7 sequence. All we are doing is making the fish feel comfortable with lighting that is similar to the real daily lighting they get in the ocean. If you have LED moonlights you can do 24 hours of light. You would set it up to have your actinics come on at say 6 am and have your MH's come on at 7 am, both would stay on all day then the MH's would shut off anywhere between 5 pm and 7 pm and the actinics would go off an hour later. If you have moonlights they could have them come on anytime before the actinics shut off and stay on all night and go off right after the actinics come on in the morning. This procedure is strictly up to you. Good luck!

 

My tank:
16 hrs Actinics
7 hrs MH's

 

Marlinman, that makes sense...ive been flicking on both in the am and in the evening turning off the MH earlier than the Actinics.
thanks

 

wow 16 hours?

 

Set your lights to run later in the day, this gives you more viewing time and only runs the lights in the cooler part of the day.
I run mine 8hrs from 4pm to 12am