The Golden Hour

[muzikalmatt]

Does your reef tank have a "golden hour" for viewing? A time of day where everything looks consistently great? If so, when is that time period? Is it in the middle of your light cycle? Towards the end? How long does that peak last?

 

[JumboShrimp]

My 20 gallon with softies looks it’s best from about 3-4 hours after the lights come on, and stay that way a good 9-10 hours.

 

[Homebrewer]

My lights don't come on until noon so I can enjoy the end of the cycle at night, that's the best time. Corals are fully open when the ramp down begins at about 9 when the whites start to fade. At 10pm its full-actinic, which then ramps down to off by 11pm. As bright as the coral are under actinic, it's that 9-10pm transition that is the best viewing, IMO.