Photoperiod, Growth, and Cyano

[Haggisman14]

Hello everyone, any assistance would be much appreciated. Quick tank details:

29 Gallon Biocube
Kessil 160 tuna blue

Current Schedule (based off of light dials) 55% color (toward white), Intensity 90%
Lights on on 11AM, turn to blues at 7pm

I have this on an on/off timer, and turn the lights to blues when I get home for the evening. My growth has been good, but I have a feeling that I might be hitting them with too MUCH whites for too long. I had read recently that @WWC only has their lights most intense for about 4-5 hours, the rest of the time on blues.

I've ALSO been having an issue with cyano. It goes away when I do water changes, but within the week most of it comes back. I don't have a problem with it on my sand, but it covers 2-3 of my rocks almost completely, as well as latching on to the top of many of my zoa frags.

I'm thinking of switching my light schedule as follows:

12pm: Color: 0%, Intensity 90%
6pm: (when I get home from work: Color 55%, Intensity 90%
10:30pm: Lights off

I want to make sure I get good growth, as well as eliminate this darn cyano problem.

As always...thanks!

(Spectral controler is on my Christmas list!)

Marc

 

[EYE-CANDY AQUATICS]

To get rid of of Cyano, you need to try a few things. 1, make sure you are using rodi water instead of tap water. I had a cyano problem that as soon as I switched to rodi water went away. If you already use/ it doesn’t help. Work on reducing your phosphates and nitrates. Feed less, more water changes and maybe even add a phosoguard pad Whitch worked really well for me.

 

[Haggisman14]

Hey Eye-Candy - Thanks.

I am using RODI water, and will definitely check into my phosophates and nitrates again. Most of my corals are doing well. I'm curious to see if my new photo period will assist with growth of my corals...wondering if my photo period was too long and might have been doing more harm than good. We shall see!

 

[EYE-CANDY AQUATICS]

I run a 12 hour photo period, 2 hour ramp up and a 2 hour ramp down. I have had great growth in my zoas, chalices and my few sps frags