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View Full Version : How many hours do you run T5s?


sjfishguy
07/13/2009, 04:44 PM
How many hrs do you run all your bulbs? Meaning if you run your actinics a total of 10 and your daylights 8, then vote 8. Feel free to comment on your exact situation if you want. I am trying to figure out how long I should run my new NEP 6X39W over an SPS tank, thanks.

sjfishguy
07/13/2009, 04:47 PM
I tried to do a poll but didn't work? I dont know what happened, just comment though I guess, thank you.

JRechcygl
07/13/2009, 05:04 PM
I run my blues for 12 hrs and the whole schebang for 8...

sedor
07/13/2009, 05:13 PM
I don't have the dawn/dusk capability on my current fixture so I just run them all 12 hours. This is a FOWLR tank right now though. I'm saving up for a Tek fixture and i'm gonna put SPS under it.

Ten33
07/13/2009, 06:55 PM
I have a Tek fixture that I run about 10 hrs avg.

RYANDLF- I would consider using a fan like I do, since the Tek fixtures do not have em.. I have seen a difference in bulb life etc since using the fan to blow across the bulbs to cool them some...

redfishsc
07/13/2009, 07:16 PM
I run all my T5s (all on and off, no dusk/dawn) for around 11 hours.


If it weren't for the fact that my wife babysits and the babies LOVE to look at the tank (a big plus for her!) I'd only run the for 8 hours.

Henry Bowman
07/13/2009, 08:34 PM
10 hours Main
12 hours Actinic

pfoster40
07/13/2009, 09:38 PM
I run my Tx5 for 10 hours on 3 bulbs (blues) and all of them for 5

sedor
07/13/2009, 09:45 PM
Most photosynthetic species only need the first couple hours of light, and the remainder is simply for our viewing pleasure, right?

RussM
07/13/2009, 11:16 PM
6x 48" T5HO split between 2 IC660 ballasts.

Both ballasts drive identical lamp configurations. Every other lamp is driven by the same ballast.

Ballast A only is on for 3 hours
Both A & B are on for 5 hours
Ballast B only is on for another 3 hours

MerDoX
07/14/2009, 01:40 AM
I also have NEP 6x39W over a mixed reef of zoas and SPS tank. I run 9 hrs actinic and 5 hrs of everything (2,5,2).

teddyb
07/14/2009, 03:24 AM
Do you guys notice better color with lighting under 10 hours?

teddyb
07/14/2009, 03:25 AM
For sps that is. BTW, I run actinics for 9 hours and 10k's for 7. My color is decent but I can't get my brownies to color up. However, everything else holds its color.

Henry Bowman
07/14/2009, 06:32 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15354658#post15354658 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ryandlf
Most photosynthetic species only need the first couple hours of light, and the remainder is simply for our viewing pleasure, right?

This depends on the intensity of the light. With T5's par running 80% lower than MH as an average over the tank, I'd think that the saturation takes a little longer. I recall reading that most corals on the reef actually "use" light for energy and growth over a 5-7 hour period.

sjfishguy
07/14/2009, 08:44 AM
Thanks for the responses, looks like a lot of people are running 10hrs. Seems reasonable.

I have heard the same about corals not using light for growth after 6hrs or something, but that doesnt take into the account the colors of the corals. Longer photoperiods definitely change the coloration of SPS, but you obviously you can't go too long without bleaching the corals. Fine line.

sld123
07/14/2009, 05:59 PM
i run the whole thing for7 and the daylights for 6 . so i have 2 cycles in 1 day

lurch
07/14/2009, 07:50 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15355743#post15355743 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Henry Bowman
This depends on the intensity of the light. With T5's par running 80% lower than MH as an average over the tank, I'd think that the saturation takes a little longer. I recall reading that most corals on the reef actually "use" light for energy and growth over a 5-7 hour period.

My 5ft icecap t5's (6 of them) have the same par as the 250 10k's I used to run on my tank.

Henry Bowman
07/14/2009, 08:01 PM
Lurch

What Lights are you running? I'm curious.

I use ATI Blue + and Blue Specials in a solar flare with one GE Daylight.

Thanks

Aqua Keepers
07/14/2009, 08:31 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15359502#post15359502 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sld123
i run the whole thing for7 and the daylights for 6 . so i have 2 cycles in 1 day

2 cycles in 1 day? I am interested in hearing more about this.
Here's a thread in which some of us were discussing it:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1651166

lurch
07/14/2009, 10:53 PM
ATI Blue Plus
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus
GE 6500K Daylight
ATI Aquablue
ATI Blue Plus

FishGuy5
07/14/2009, 11:24 PM
Lurch-what is your lighting schedule? I'm running the same system on my 156 mixed reef. i have the actinics on for 8 hours, and the all 6 bulbs for 7 hours. Also thinking about swapping out the daylight for another Fiji Purple. What do you think?

FishGuy5
07/14/2009, 11:24 PM
Lurch-what is your lighting schedule? I'm running the same system on my 156 mixed reef. i have the actinics on for 8 hours, and the all 6 bulbs for 7 hours. Also thinking about swapping out the daylight for another Fiji Purple. What do you think?

AJO
07/14/2009, 11:44 PM
I run mine for only 6 hrs. total and everything does fine.
4 hours Main
6 hours Actinic

OpCode1300
07/16/2009, 12:48 PM
I run mine for only 7 hrs. total and everything does fine.
5.5 hours Main
7 hours Actinic

4x80w T5 on 660s

kmu
07/16/2009, 01:44 PM
I have my actinics on for 10 hours and my daylight for 8 hours, guess Im gonna have to cut back around 2 hours on each cycle.

Does having a low par lighting setup means that you have to run your lights for a longer period?

cdness
07/16/2009, 02:27 PM
total 10 hours here with actinics for 11.5

lurch
07/16/2009, 03:58 PM
I run mine for 8 hours. Actinic and daylight bulbs.

lurch
07/16/2009, 04:00 PM
Fishguy I would leave the daylight bulb for growth.

small alien
07/16/2009, 06:15 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15353671#post15353671 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by redfishsc
I run all my T5s (all on and off, no dusk/dawn) for around 11 hours.


If it weren't for the fact that my wife babysits and the babies LOVE to look at the tank (a big plus for her!) I'd only run the for 8 hours.

Good to know the babies are getting some tank time.

iFisch
07/16/2009, 07:17 PM
10-12 hours. Using standard bulbs that were including at factory. It's a 50/50mix.

I manually turn them on each day.

And I spend a total of 1-2 hours a day viewing my tank. Mainly just watching my paired clowns. The female and male often do "dances" swimming vertically and rubbing against one another. Quite interesting, in fact. :)

dixiedog
02/23/2010, 06:46 PM
EDIT ... aw man, I went and dredged up a hundred year old thread.

Sorry.

NyReefNoob
02/23/2010, 06:51 PM
36" tek 8 bulb antic 8 hrs daylight for 6, most parts of the ocean only get 3-5 hr's of direct sunlight and henry where do you get t5's produce 80% less par them mh ?

drparker
02/23/2010, 07:00 PM
I've got an ATI sunpower, dawn/dusk for 11hrs and full for 8hrs.

Gene0514
02/23/2010, 07:21 PM
4 x 54W T5

4 hrs a day :)

I only have palys/zoas and a kenya tree coral so the light is enough for them and they look great
i have also noticed a decrease in algae growth which makes the tank look better

sfexplicit
02/24/2010, 02:04 AM
6x54W on IceCap ballasts. Sps on the rocks. Zoas & acans on the sand. 2 X Blue+ 10 hrs. 1FigiPurple,1AquaBlue Special, 2xBlue+ 6hrs. I think it would help if we listed the types of corals we keep and the type of light setup.

maynardjames
02/24/2010, 10:30 AM
12-10