What is Minimum required photoperiod for MH?

[RLiu818]

I currently have my Actinics on for 12 hours and MH on for 8 hours.

im thinking about reducing my MH period to 6 hours, and keep my Actinics for 10 hours.

This way i get 3 hours of pure actinic starting from noon and three hours of pure actinic up until midnight.

i personally find my tank more attractive with just actinics on which is why i want a longer period of Actinic only lighting.


I keep SPS and zoos in my tank so will reducing MH lighting from 8 hours to 6 hours be ok?

oh and i also have a 3" maxima clam in there as well.

 

[klingsa]

In my opinion, a 12 hour photo period with your main lights is the best way to go. I try to keep my tank as closely as possible to the natural tropic environment, and they get 12 hours of tropical sun every day. Alternating the actinics is fine, to get the look you want, but the stonies need as much light as you can give them.

Just my opinion. Good luck!

Sara

 

[Jime]

Mine are 10(VHO actinics) and 8 (MH) a day. No problems so far. I would add an hour if I lived in a different state. Electric bill is huge here is California.

 

[fergy]

Actually, in the tropics, they do not get full sun for 12 hours a day. Think of it like this: does the sun remain fixed directly overhead, shooting straight down, from 7A-7P? Remember also that sunlight reflects off the surface of the water up to a specific angle, so very little of it penetrates. The true, direct photoperiod is more like 4-6 hours. However, the corals are also able to feed in the wild, and don't have to make up most/all of their energy requirements with photosynthesis, plus our lighting, even the most-powerful, still doesn't approach what nature is able to provide.

But, to answer the question as to bare minimum, the answer would be "0", since there are people keeping reefs without metal halide.

BRIAN
_________________
Ferrari GT4

 

[Anonymous]

I think 10 and 6 would work out fine IMHO.

Louey

 

[liquid]

Here's how most of our members are running theirs: http://www.reefs.org/GBSurvey/surveyq.p ... 4605daf30c

Shane

 

[MiNdErAsR]

Shedding Light On The Reef