Reef Lighting Times - Is their a limit?

[hachadwick]

I was wondering if there is such a thing as to much light exposure when considering the TIME of exposure, NOT the type brightness or intensity. In other words, if I have the "prefect" lighting system and my corals are thriving and I have no algae growth to speak of, can I leave my lights on longer for a longer viewing time of the display tank?

I have four phases to my display tanks lighting: at 9 AM, the blue LED's turn on at 100%, at 12 noon the white LED's turn on 100% and the blue stay on, at 5 PM the white LED's turn off, at 8 PM the blue LED's turn off and the tank goes dark. As you can see this is a long time for light exposure but only a portion of it is full blast, so to speak.

 

[Sakura2282]

I have no idea, that's a very good question.

My tank's lighting is: 9 AM blue actinic LED'S on
10 AM white LED's on
7 PM white LED's off
8 PM blue LED'S off

The only different I see between yours and mine is that your whites go on 2 hours later than mine and go off 2 hours before mine too. Why you don't try leaving them until 7 PM on.

 

[hachadwick]

Hmm, I may give that a try. If I start seeing a difference int he coral I can always switch back.

 

[Sakura2282]

Just do it gradually that's why I'd do, start turning them off at 5:30 for two days and for the third day move it to 6:00 keep it like that for 4 days to a week to see how day do. And finally, do the same to move them to 7:00. That way they will have time to get use to the new lighting exposure.