How long is long enought for light for corals

[tendar]

Well here in arizona the cost of electricy goes 5x from 1-8pm durning the summer months. So looking to running my lights from 6am-2pm or 8 hours a day and then just run a single NO 40 bulb till around 7pm for the fishes.
Would you consider 8 hours a day of VHO lighting for mostly LPS tank enough or should I have the lights on longer to keep them happy. I do feed all my lps at least 1 time a week and more toward 1.5-2 times a week.

[Chuck S]

I usually so 10 hours aday VHO main lighting with 13 hours Actinic VHO supplimentation on my VHO tank. You may be able to slide it down a bit. Another option might be to change your lighting schedule on that tank. If it is in a room where there is not alot of outside light you could say maybe run your lights 8pm-6am main lights with actinics 6:30pm-7:30am. Then you would not need to adjust your time down.

[tendar]

I had though of that but it gets a fair amount of light durning the day so the fish wouldnt get much sleep.
I will cut it down to 8 hours for a week till I get the algea back under control then go back 10 hours aday. That and cut back on feeding some.

[Katspaw]

Hey Gregg,
just how close is your outside light source ( ie Window)??? I have two windows flamking my tank, So they get full blast of sun til noon, I too am having a aglae battle as we speak. I know alot of it came about because I didn't change my lights soon enough, I know all the additional light they get isn't helping me either.

Tracey

[tendar]

The tank is like 10 feet from the glass doors to the patio so no direct light just soem ambient light. I have change the lighting to 8am-5pm due to shift change at work.
I seem to be getting the algea under control anyway with some water changes and ro/di filters and carbon.

[Chuck S]

Good to hear Gregg. Algae can be a PITA.