Photo period suggestions?

[David McKay]

Hi All,

I'd like some photo period suggestions based on a new lighting setup.

I have a 35 gallon, 18" deep tank with a few small fish, LPS, SPS and soft
corals and a maxima clam. The tank has been up and doing well for almost a
year with a 4x55W PC lighting hood consisting of 2 x 10000K and 2 x -03
actinic bulbs. I just built a new hood that incorporates all four 55W PC
fixtures along with a 250W metal halide. I plan to use all actinic power
compact tubes and a 5500K MH bulb.

I'll acclimate the tank to the extra light with an extra hour every two days
of the MH. At the end of the acclimation I plan to have the actinic PCs come
on at 9am, followed by the 5500K metal halide at 10am. In the evening, the
MH will go off at 9pm, and the PCs off at 10pm.

Is this acceptable? Better suggestions? I'm concerned that there might
actually be too much light. With 4x55W PCs and a 250W MH I'm over 13
watts/gallon.

Thanks in advance,

Dave.

[Rod]

Sounds like a plan to me. Ya might want to only do an extra 1/2 hr every 2
days, or 15 minutes a day.. And completely forget about WPG (watts per gallon)
Its one of th eworst rules of thumb ever quoined for this hobby. I have a 7
gallon bow with a 250 MH and 28wPC which is 39.7 wpg, but I consider that tank
to have less lighting in areas of my other tanks that have only5 wpg.

>Message-id: . com>
>
>Hi All,
>
>I'd like some photo period suggestions based on a new lighting setup.
>
>I have a 35 gallon, 18" deep tank with a few small fish, LPS, SPS and soft
>corals and a maxima clam. The tank has been up and doing well for almost a
>year with a 4x55W PC lighting hood consisting of 2 x 10000K and 2 x -03
>actinic bulbs. I just built a new hood that incorporates all four 55W PC
>fixtures along with a 250W metal halide. I plan to use all actinic power
>compact tubes and a 5500K MH bulb.
>
>I'll acclimate the tank to the extra light with an extra hour every two days
>of the MH. At the end of the acclimation I plan to have the actinic PCs come
>on at 9am, followed by the 5500K metal halide at 10am. In the evening, the
>MH will go off at 9pm, and the PCs off at 10pm.
>
>Is this acceptable? Better suggestions? I'm concerned that there might
>actually be too much light. With 4x55W PCs and a 250W MH I'm over 13
>watts/gallon.
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Dave.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>