Optimal photoperiod for SPS

[Charlie’s Frags]

Is the ramp up and down my for aesthetics, or the corals benefit?

It’s to mimic sun up and sun down

 

[Journeyman]

I read somewhere that one of the big SPS venders (vivid, boomcorals?), I forget which one, runs a 4-4-4 photo period. 4 hours full blue. 4 hours full blue and whites, then 4 hours full blue again. So I do the same. I do a short ramp up within. So mine is still a total of 12 hours, slightly modified with a 30 minute ramp up of blue. Then I do a1 hope ramp up of the whites in the middle with 4 hours completely on in the middle.

 

[Nep2n]

A couple of hours ramp before and after a core 8 hour photoperiod of daylight spectrum. Not sure if this is optimal, but this is what I run in my tank.

+1

 

[dank reefer]

Currently running a mars aqua black box over my biocube 32. Really I only want to bump it up for my benefit so I can watch the tank longer [emoji14] . But I'd like to make sure first it wont be detrimental to my livestock

You could always change your photo period to be on when you're at home. Your fish and corals dont know what time it is, so you can have your lights come on at 12pm as an example and have them shut off at 12am. Just a suggestion.

 

[Boxofpurplerocks]

You could always change your photo period to be on where you are at home. Your fish and corals dont know what time it is, so you can have your lights come on at 12pm as an example and have them shut off at 12am. Just a suggestion.

This is pretty much how I have it now (3pm-11pm) which is ideal for work weeks, I just wouldn't mind another hour or two for weekends!

 

[AdamNC]

10:00-12:00 ramp up
12:00-10:00 full peak
10:00-12:00 ramp down

 

[Makers Marc]

I was running 12 hours and had aot of algae. Talked to my LFS and he suggested 8 hrs to reduce algae growth. So that's what I run but no sps yet.

Honestly, 8 hr or 12hrs is the same re: algae growth.

 

[Tubbsiewubbsie]

10 hrs total 1 hr up and 1 down plus an extra hr at 1% moonlight

 

[Matt Carden]

You could always change your photo period to be on when you're at home. Your fish and corals dont know what time it is, so you can have your lights come on at 12pm as an example and have them shut off at 12am. Just a suggestion.

This is not true in my observations. My fish are up after sunrise and my Angels do their mating dance about an hour before true sunset. They dont care about artificial lights.

 

[X-37B]

9hrs 10% white 80% blue on a mars aqua for 2 years now. 18x18x18 nano cube. Noon till 9pm.

 

[X-37B]

9hrs 10% white 80% blue on a mars aqua for 2 years now. 18x18x18 nano cube. Noon till 9pm.

 

[X-37B]

9hrs 10% white 80% blue on a mars aqua for 2 years now. 18x18x18 nano cube. Noon till 9pm.

 

[X-37B]

18x18x18 nano cube. 9 hours,
10% white 80% blue on a mars aquar for 2 years. No ramp up.

 

[lbacha]

My lights run 12-12 so I can enjoy the tank more while I’m home. I ramp up for 3 hrs, 5hrs of full intensity and 4hrs to ramp down

 

[mitch91175]

My photoperiod is like 16 hours total. I think you’ll be ok

Mine is at 15 hours total between Hydra52, T5, and sBars.

 

[Rakie]

14 hours. 30 minute ramp up, 3.5 hour SLOW ramp down with LED's. T5's only on for 6 hours currently but slowly increasing.

 

[PhreeByrd]

12 hours dusk-to-dawn is the only thing that makes sense to me. Since almost all of our corals originate in equatorial waters, that's what they have evolved to deal with.
If your lighting is weak or otherwise suspect, then I don't think there's any question that it's safe to extend the daytime period somewhat, but I'd be slow and careful in doing that, allowing the corals to adjust gradually.

 

[TexasTodd]

6 a.m. to 9 p.m. 8 hours peak but near peak for 10.

 

[Tamberav]

9 hours...with 4 hour peak...used to be just two hour peak.... The reason my lights were so low is I was battling low nutrients and pretty sure this kept my SPS alive but growth was slow. I have seen an increase in growth since increasing lighting but also having to dose Nitrate again.

Color seem to be mostly effected by spectrum and nutrients and growth by photoperiod and ofc stability is important too.

 

[Sailfinguy21]

I turn my lights on when i get up which is usually 10-12.. yes im a night owl abd sleep late lkl... im self employed though so i dont have typicsl work hours... and since my 135 is in my room yea..

I turn my lights off at like 12-1am.. So my photo period is 12-13 hours.

 

[coral408]

My total of lighting is 12hrs - 2hrs ramp up, 10hrs photo period, 2hrs ramp down for LED and 5hrs of t5 in between.

 

[ChrisQ0904]

Wow, I can't believe how many people run longer peak hours. I'm only at 4hrs with a 12hr photoperiod but after reading this I am going to slowly bump it up to 6-8hrs for full lighting.