Basement reef lighting

[John A!10]

So I have my reef tank in the basement, with currently no coral, and just one fish, I am just running one bodily led light. I used to run it for 12 hours and I know run it for 8. This is the only lighting the tank gets, no sunlight at all. Is 8 hours enough for fish and coral?

 

[kyleinpdx]

The intensity of the light is much more important. You can have a high output lighting system that supplies all the PAR everything needs in a 4hr time span, you can also have dim lights that wont produce enough par over 12hrs. All depends on the equipment: the lights, the tank depth, rock work, etc.

We'll need more info and pictures to really say for sure.

 

[John A!10]

This is the light:

Bozily Aquarium Lights LED 300W, Full Spectrum Coral Reef Light for Aquarium Tanks Lighting APP Control with Auto On/Off Dimming & Timer for Saltwater Freshwater Fish Grow Marine Tank

 

[John A!10]

The intensity of the light is much more important. You can have a high output lighting system that supplies all the PAR everything needs in a 4hr time span, you can also have dim lights that wont produce enough par over 12hrs. All depends on the equipment: the lights, the tank depth, rock work, etc.

We'll need more info and pictures to really say for sure.

I understand for corals, but how about fish? I would have corals that need lower intensity, like frogspawns, or soft corals.

 

[John A!10]

Is 8 hours enough light for fish, knowing that 8 hours is the only light they get? No sun.

 

[kyleinpdx]

Amazon links dont work on R2R for some reason, but if its this then the answer is "maybe." Here are the specs I found on that listing:

• Dimensions: 22.1*11.8*0.7 inch
• Net Weight: 2.93 pounds (1330g)
• One light is ideal for 32x18” coverage
• 338pcs High Intensity 0.5W

I'm very skeptical of the 338 x .5w output, but even after accounting for loss you're still probably getting 60-80w of light, which depending on the tank size might work alright. How many gallons? How deep is the tank?

 

[jschultzbass]

Most tropical fish get about 12 hours of light so I'd shoot for that. That's 12 hours with sunrise and sunset included. 8 hours isn't a big deal though. I don't think anyone considers the ambient light in their home as part of the light cycle.

 

[kyleinpdx]

I understand for corals, but how about fish? I would have corals that need lower intensity, like frogspawns, or soft corals.

Is 8 hours enough light for fish, knowing that 8 hours is the only light they get? No sun.

For just fish it'll be more than fine. The fish dont really care, as long as there is enough light to allow two distinct periods (day and night) the fish will be just fine.

 

[John A!10]

Amazon links dont work on R2R for some reason, but if its this then the answer is "maybe." Here are the specs I found on that listing:

• Dimensions: 22.1*11.8*0.7 inch
• Net Weight: 2.93 pounds (1330g)
• One light is ideal for 32x18” coverage
• 338pcs High Intensity 0.5W

I'm very skeptical of the 338 x .5w output, but even after accounting for loss you're still probably getting 60-80w of light, which depending on the tank size might work alright. How many gallons? How deep is the tank?

Yes that’s the right light.

 

[John A!10]

Most tropical fish get about 12 hours of light so I'd shoot for that. That's 12 hours with sunrise and sunset included. 8 hours isn't a big deal though. I don't think anyone considers the ambient light in their home as part of the light cycle.

I don’t run a sunrise/sunset, as with power outages the settings would get lost, so I have it on a timer. I will slowly adjust to 10 hours, I had lowered it to 8, as I had a small algae bloom after the cycle.

 

[Oldreefer44]

Suggest reading threads and articles by Dana Riddle on this forum. When you start talking about corals then there are a lot more questions to be asked especially if you, like most of us, are going to want to gradually expand what you want to keep. Also, there is no shortage of differing opinions on the subject to say the least. Good luck.