Lighting Gurus needed

[tomslick]

I purchased the Aquaticlife 24" 4X24 watt T5 HO light fixture W/ 2 lunar LEDS.

My bulbs from front to back are as follows:

420/460
purple
10,000 K
420/460

I am using the pre programmed times of operation on timer as follows:

Zone 1 White start 9:00 - end 17:00

Zone 2 Blue start 8:00 - end 20:00

Zone 3 night start 20:00 - end 6:00

My first question is when I decide to change the bulbs 9-12 months from now are there any better bulb combinations for success? Brand? Type?


My second question is is this pre programmed mode ok or should I shorten/extend any zones. The night Blue LEDS are on all night in my room so can I shorten the night cycle or leave it? Its hard to sleep with them on.

Any reccomended cycles would be appreciated thanks!

[slief]

Originally Posted by tomslick

I purchased the Aquaticlife 24" 4X24 watt T5 HO light fixture W/ 2 lunar LEDS.

My bulbs from front to back are as follows:

420/460
purple
10,000 K
420/460

I am using the pre programmed times of operation on timer as follows:

Zone 1 White start 9:00 - end 17:00

Zone 2 Blue start 8:00 - end 20:00

Zone 3 night start 20:00 - end 6:00

My first question is when I decide to change the bulbs 9-12 months from now are there any better bulb combinations for success? Brand? Type?


My second question is is this pre programmed mode ok or should I shorten/extend any zones. The night Blue LEDS are on all night in my room so can I shorten the night cycle or leave it? Its hard to sleep with them on.

Any reccomended cycles would be appreciated thanks!

Too much moon light is not a good or natural thing. If your moon light doesn't follow the natural lunar cycle in both time and perhaps intensity, it's not doing much if anything for the corals and instead there for your enjoyment. In fact, too much lunar light (if it's bright enough to cause photo synthesis) can actually be bad. Bottom line is that other than triggering spawing in certain corals, lunar lights do almost nothing but give you something to look at when the lights are off. Unless you follow the lunar cycle and match the moons cycle, you are wasting your sleep.

[tomslick]

I would rather have them off as long as I am not sacrificing tank inhabitants health. Which is only some zooanthids and a softie. How do I know if the pre programmed follows the moon cycle? It doesnt say anything about it in the brochure?

[tomslick]

anymore ideas on durations?

[jedimasterben]

Originally Posted by tomslick

My first question is when I decide to change the bulbs 9-12 months from now are there any better bulb combinations for success? Brand? Type?

ATI Blue Plus and Coral Plus 1:1, or their Giesemann equivalents.

Originally Posted by tomslick

My second question is is this pre programmed mode ok or should I shorten/extend any zones. The night Blue LEDS are on all night in my room so can I shorten the night cycle or leave it? Its hard to sleep with them on.

I don't really understand the 'zones'. Most people will run their 'blue' bulbs a bit longer than the 'whites', and if you want to do that, run one ballast (two bulbs) for 10-12 hours, and the other for 8-10. Turn off the moonlight LEDs completely if they bother you at all, they are wholly unnecessary.

[tomslick]

Originally Posted by jedimasterben

ATI Blue Plus and Coral Plus 1:1, or their Giesemann equivalents.


I don't really understand the 'zones'. Most people will run their 'blue' bulbs a bit longer than the 'whites', and if you want to do that, run one ballast (two bulbs) for 10-12 hours, and the other for 8-10. Turn off the moonlight LEDs completely if they bother you at all, they are wholly unnecessary.

ok thanks Jedimasterben this helps.So alternate one blue, one coral plus, one blue, one coral plus?