Lighting duration

[jdpeters]

i run hydra 52 on my reef. I constantly battle algae build up on the glass with zero nitrates or phosphates and have for 3 years on it. Light bio load. I think it might possibly be due to my lighting intensity and photo period.
Turns on at 8am ramps up to full power at 10. Ramps down at 6 to 8.
Would there be any benefit to only running whites for 4 hours? Would I need to acclimate it to that to see if that experiment works?

 

[Bpb]

I’ve always said to myself if I go longer than 3 days between glass cleanings, the tank is too clean. How often do you need to scrub the glass?

 

[jdpeters]

It needs to be done daily. It wouldn’t be completely covered but 24 hours and it’s substantial, to me at least. I don’t think it’s any bad algae. Also my RODI media got changed 2 months ago.

 

[Daniel Waters]

Less light, either via less intensity, shorter duration, or reducing certain available spectrums will certainly impact your algae growth. Honestly, though, you're not going to go from having to clean your glass daily to once a week or anything like that.

You should run your lights such that it meets the needs of your inhabitants. Without knowing more information, it is hard to offer more definitive feedback. I would think 4 hours for your whites is ample. If you like the whites on, I'd leave them on but simply lower the intensity. If you prefer less whites, then going to 4 hours is probably fine versus running them all day. I don't think you need to acclimate if you are lowering light intensity, duration, or reducing available spectrum. I think acclimation is needed when increasing these things. This does NOT mean your corals may not react negatively to the changes you do....I just don't think you have to worry about it causing your corals to close up or bleach like might happen if you were increasing light.

 

[MrObscura]

Are corals happy? If so don't fix it if it ain't broke. Nothing wrong with having to clean the glass.

 

[Dana Riddle]

I don't think it's a good strategy if your thought is to control the algal growths with changes in the lighting schedule. Many marine algae require very little light. When I was recently curing some Florida live rock, I kept it in an unlighted tub until the aerobic nitrogen cycle was complete. Algae that survived include at least 4 calcareous species, Valonia, unidentified stony coral colonies (Porites?) and a small zoanthid colony.

 

[Dana Riddle]

I failed to mention that the algae/corals that survived were in darkness for 6 weeks. To say I was surprised is an understatement.

 

[A. grandis]

Nutrient control, herbivores and temperature.

 

[jdpeters]

Are corals happy? If so don't fix it if it ain't broke. Nothing wrong with having to clean the glass.

It’s a little bit more of a accumulation on the back that I don’t like. I don’t mind running the magnet along the front daily but the back is a pain for me with the powerheads and some coral growth. I cut the whites back by 5% maybe 10 and noticed a drastic difference in Growth on the backside. Minor change but noticeable improvement, for my eyes.

 

[jdpeters]

Nutrient control, herbivores and temperature.

I’m at a steady 77. Don’t have any real clean up crew. Ever since 2 crabs decimated the snails 3 years ago when I started it up I never replenished the stock. I thought about adding a small yellow tang or kole

 

[jdpeters]

I failed to mention that the algae/corals that survived were in darkness for 6 weeks. To say I was surprised is an understatement.

That’s impressive lol. I made a small adjustment about 2 weeks ago and it seemed to help.

 

[Hemmdog]

I’m at a steady 77. Don’t have any real clean up crew. Ever since 2 crabs decimated the snails 3 years ago when I started it up I never replenished the stock. I thought about adding a small yellow tang or kole

Snails clean the glass. Get some trochus.

 

[jdpeters]

Are corals happy? If so don't fix it if it ain't broke. Nothing wrong with having to clean the glass.

I have some finicky torches but other than that they are doing fine yes

 

[jdpeters]

Snails clean the glass. Get some trochus.

You prefer trochus? I have one astrea that’s kinda a dud he doesn’t do a whole lot lol. He survived the hermits though and now they don’t mess with him lol

 

[Hemmdog]

You prefer trochus? I have one astrea that’s kinda a dud he doesn’t do a whole lot lol. He survived the hermits though and now they don’t mess with him lol

Nice. Yea trochus are good. Mine spawned so I have a ton now. I haven’t had to do my glass in weeks, it’s been nice lol.