What is a good time schedule?

How do you figure out a good time scheduel for your lights? I will be getting my a timer this weekend, and probably hooking up my light this weekend as well so i would like to get some ideas of how you run your lights.

My bulbs: 2 ATI blue plus 1 ATI 12000k Aquablue and 1 UV lighting Actinic White. I do not have a moonlight. I currently have them just randomly placed in my light fixture. And the fixture has two cords.

Hope this helps.

 

It really won't matter much with the T5 lights. I have similar lights on my 210g. Run your T5's for no more than 12 to 14 hrs so you give the fish a chance to rest and save on bulbs.

 

ok, since i haven't been running any lights on my tank since i've been cycling. Once it's done i think i'll run the lights like you suggested for the 12-14hrs. So once i'm able to add fish should i start with 10 hours of light then gradually work up to 12-14 to try to prevent an algae bloom? i already have diatoms and some gha because of the cycle, i wouldnt want the lights to cause more algae than i already have

 

Most folks just run them when they are up so they can look at them. The actual time really isn't an issue - the amount they are on during a day is the kicker.

Have fun!

 

I run my lights for 7 hours a day. I'm not home much more than that, and all my corals are doing well. Do blue moon lights for the remainder of the time.

 

if I run my daylights for more than 7 hours I get algae growth and my coral starts to look stressed (bubble and hammer are the ones that look stressed).

Just be willing to adjust the time later on... don't feel some weird loyalty to the first time schedule you pick ya know... adjust as needed.

 

I run my Actinics from 10am to 10pm and my Daylights from 11am to 9pm

 

That is the same schedule I have been running but have since cut way back due to algae/cyano outbreak, but my tank is still maturing and my fuge is not done yet. I am hoping to get back to my previous schedule in the future so I can add more corals.

 

For algae growth in my tank, I've found that 10 hours of light is the max. At 10 hours we have a little hair algae growth mostly on the back wall, but it's ok because it feeds some of my critters.

 

You'll want to see which cord turns on which 2 lights. Then you want to separate them so one controls just the true antics (the blue ones) and the other daylight bulbs. This way you can set your timer to turn on the blues first, then the daylights a little later. Then shut off daylights first followed by antics. This will give you your dawn to dusk effect.