light cycle

[rooter]

when should my lights turn on and off?
sun rises - 700
sun sets - 600pm

 

[Grins]

I use a 10 hour day. Some use a 7. I'd not use the day example you have though, far too long.

 

[rooter]

its ll hours only one hour more then yours. also should it be synced with the sunrise/sunset so that it is similiar to natural sunrise and sunsets

 

[jagr200]

You can do that. I have mine on a 11 hr day too. It just works better for me that way because Im up at 6:30 so the lights come on at 7am for feeding and Im home at 5:45 so the lights go off at 6 or so. Im still messing with my timers to get everything right but Im almost there.

 

[skippy2]

I have my mh come on at 3 pm and off at 11 pm. I do it that way to fit my schedule. There is no sense in having the lights on when I'm not around to enjoy my tank.

 

[Grins]

its ll hours only one hour more then yours. also should it be synced with the sunrise/sunset so that it is similiar to natural sunrise and sunsets

And many will tell you they think my day is too long. You don't have to have it match the natural sunrise and sunset either. Just something that mimics the length of time.

 

[clown-lover]

Well in all honesty the light at the equator which many of the reefs from which I get my tank inhabitants hail from have 12 hours of light a day. Out of that time I provide my tank with 12 hours of standard T5 lights and 8 hours of MH lights.

 

[Grins]

Only using MHs I don't dare leave them on 12 hours.

 

[jagr200]

The thing is with Tank Raised life it dosent matter nearly as much. Their biological clock is so messed up anyway but you should always do the best you can.

 

[Grins]

Especially when you consider how many of us have mixed reefs with stock from all over the world.