Light advice please...

[AR0026]

Hey Reefers,

I am new to this... I would like to set up a reef tank.. I have a 28gal bow front... A cleaner shrimp and sand shifting start inside. I have a refugium hanging on the back... I just received my lights.. I got a small 24w light for the refugium.. (which I believe has to be on 24/7??) and the light for the main tank has 2 10,000k, 2 blue bulbs, and four moon LEDs. My question is how long should each light be on for in the main tank???

 

[Cadiz.Jonathan]

Your refeguim light should go on when ur display tank lights go off so your ph stays the same.
Also sand shifting stars tend to die in small tanks.

 

[AR0026]

Hey Jonathan,

So turn the refugium lights on after the tank lights?? Also how should I set up the main tank's lights to go on? Blue first, 10,000k second? And should the moon LEDs stay on all night?

 

[Cadiz.Jonathan]

I usually turn off my moon lights when go to bed moon lights are more for viewing at night more than any thing. Yes when ur main tank gose off have the refu lights go on so the ph stays the same. If u want a morning to dawn look in your tank I would do the blue in the morning then turn the 10k on after a few hours turn the the 10k bulb off and leave the blue running Till ur ready to have the moon lights come on.

 

[Cadiz.Jonathan]

Bump

 

[AR0026]

Hey Jonathan,

Thanks for all the info... I appreciate it... Just getting mixed info on the refugium light. The guy form the fish store I go to said to keep it on all day an night and your telling me otherwise.... "/ idk what to do... Why's the worst that could happen? I mean other then have to replace the bulb sooner..

Many Thanks,
Antonio Reyes

 

[Aceone]

I also have a 28 bowfront full reef. I have a 150w 10K mh fixture with 2 t5 actinics and had a HOB refugium but it leaked a lot so I customized a aquaclear filter and using that as a hob refug. I was running the refug light same time as the 10k mh which was about 10-12 hrs a day. I just started to run the light 24/7 to see if there will be a difference.

 

[AR0026]

Hey Aceone,

Let me know how that works out or you.. I think im going to go with the 24/7 for a week see how the water reacts to it... But i was thinking, this grows in the ocean where the lights aren't on 24/7, so why the difference in ours set ups.

My HOB refug hasn't leaked yet.. But I'm going to be checking all the time now...

What do you have in your refug? I just got some chaeto... The guy from the pet store was trying to sell me something that looked like grapes but them he said the grapes pop or something and then the whole tank will be green. So I jut got the chaeto... But it looks kinda empty. Would like to put something else in there. Just don't know what....

 

[masterswimmer]

I agree with Jonathan regarding the refugium lights going on when the display shuts off. It won't necessarily keep your pH the same, but it will help to stabilize it. That's the way we set up all of our systems for customers.

FYI, just because your LFS employee (or owner) told you something, doesn't mean you should believe it.

Russ

 

[AR0026]

Hey Russ,

I never said he was right. I don't know about this stuff. Case in point.. Why I'm asking here.. But, now there is two against one... So, I'm going to work on setting it up to turn on when the tank lights are off..
I thank you guys for all the help...

Quick question: How many hours do you recommend the main tank lights to be on for??

Thanks,
Antonio

 

[skene]

Depends on the type of light and what kind of corals you are keeping.
T5 or CFL you can do either an 8-12h. and do a 24 hour cycle with actinics and moonlights

 

[AR0026]

Hey Skene,

I have t5... What do you mean by doing a 24hr cycle?

 

[masterswimmer]

What type of coral do you have in your system?

Russ

 

[AR0026]

Russ,

Nothing in the tank yet... Just a cleaner shrimp and sand shifting star... I'm waiting for it to cycle... But I did want to set up my timers so I don't have to deal with it later.

 

[masterswimmer]

As long as your tank is still cycling, I would leave your lights off. It will only promote algae growth if you run them at this time.

When you're done cycling and begin adding fish, inverts and coral I would start with soft, LPS coral and run your lights as follows:

Actinics - on for 8 hrs.
Daylights - on for 6 hrs.
After actinics are off for 1-2 hrs your moonlights go on for about 4-6 hrs.

When your actinics turn on, let them run for about 1 hr, then your daylights turn on. Then 6 hrs later your daylights turn off. One hour after daylights off, your actinics turn off. This will simulate sunrise/sunset.

Some people might tell you that moonlights are only used for aesthetic purposes and serve no use being on when you aren't looking at your tank. I have found that moonlights absolutely help to create fish spawning activities. So a good moonlight cycle is important IMO.

Best of luck with your new system. Great hobby.
Russ

 

[AR0026]

Hey Russ,

Thanks for all the info... I'll set it up the way you recommend...

Now when it comes to corals I know nothing, how should I go about picking what to put in my tank?

Thanks,
Antonio

 

[DJYoshi]

As long as your tank is still cycling, I would leave your lights off. It will only promote algae growth if you run them at this time.

When you're done cycling and begin adding fish, inverts and coral I would start with soft, LPS coral and run your lights as follows:

Actinics - on for 8 hrs.
Daylights - on for 6 hrs.
After actinics are off for 1-2 hrs your moonlights go on for about 4-6 hrs.

When your actinics turn on, let them run for about 1 hr, then your daylights turn on. Then 6 hrs later your daylights turn off. One hour after daylights off, your actinics turn off. This will simulate sunrise/sunset.

Some people might tell you that moonlights are only used for aesthetic purposes and serve no use being on when you aren't looking at your tank. I have found that moonlights absolutely help to create fish spawning activities. So a good moonlight cycle is important IMO.

Best of luck with your new system. Great hobby.
Russ

Russ, I had my moonlights on a ramp of 15 at the start of my night cycle... should I not let them turn on until there's complete darkness for the 2 hours?
Here's how I have mine set now & the coral growth & coloration has been awesome

4pm: actinics
5pm: all on
11pm white off
12AM all off
12AM moonlights on (well depends on the moonlight cycle on the RKL)

 

[DJYoshi]

Hey Aceone,

Let me know how that works out or you.. I think im going to go with the 24/7 for a week see how the water reacts to it... But i was thinking, this grows in the ocean where the lights aren't on 24/7, so why the difference in ours set ups.

My HOB refug hasn't leaked yet.. But I'm going to be checking all the time now...

What do you have in your refug? I just got some chaeto... The guy from the pet store was trying to sell me something that looked like grapes but them he said the grapes pop or something and then the whole tank will be green. So I jut got the chaeto... But it looks kinda empty. Would like to put something else in there. Just don't know what....

chaeto grows by absorbing nutrients...
your fuge should have a deep sand bed (4-6")
a little macro rock
and the chaeto

once you add the livestock and the nitrates in the tank start going up..the chaeto will feed off of the nitrates. The fuge also serves as the area to let pods mature... it's cool to be there when the lights to your DT go off and your fuge light turns on..you'll see all the pods scatter

 

[masterswimmer]

Russ, I had my moonlights on a ramp of 15 at the start of my night cycle... should I not let them turn on until there's complete darkness for the 2 hours?
Here's how I have mine set now & the coral growth & coloration has been awesome

4pm: actinics
5pm: all on
11pm white off
12AM all off
12AM moonlights on (well depends on the moonlight cycle on the RKL)

That cycle is 90% cool. Personally I would not turn on the moonlights until about 1am-2am. I've found that the period of darkness before the moonlights come on helps in the spawning of my Ocellaris Clowns. They've been doing it like clockwork every 11th day for about 6-7 years now. They started spawning when I added my moonlights and the eggs would hatch religiously on day 9, 2 hours after lights out, just before moonlights on.

This is the scenario I encountered. Would it be the same for someone else? Possibly? Possibly not? I don't believe there is the proverbial line in the sand that says if you do something this way this WILL happen. I believe that you can make all the necessary tweaks to your system, get everything spot on, and your fish or coral or even inverts are going to do whatever the hell they want to do, when they want to do it. All we can do for them is make things right. It's up to them to play Barry White, or Luther V., and supply the choc. covered strawberries. Remember, 'Life is like a box o' chocolates, You don't know what you're gonna get'.

Hope this helps,
Russ

 

[tentacles]

I would avoid a sandsifting star. there is generally not enough surface area on the sandbed for them to graze on in order to stay healthy. I would wait a while before you consider any stars.