changing mh light period to night

[john90009]

with the summer approaching and the warmer temps coming also, who switches there light cycle on there halides to run at night so your house temp stays lower and the ac doesnt have trouble? I would like to know how you transition your corals into doing this?

[scram42]

Eliminate your problem.... LED's

[aquaman67]

I think you could just do it. I don't think corals have sleep cycles like people do.

Another reason to do it is electric companies are going to peak and off-peak rates. It will be cheaper to run the lights at night.

I agree with the LED switch. I did it. The prices will come down and in the long run - bulbs and electricity, will be a savings.

[john90009]

college student- dont have thousands of dollars to spend on a 48 inch fixture and dont have the time to make them my self.

[scram42]

I think you could just do it. I don't think corals have sleep cycles like people do.

Another reason to do it is electric companies are going to peak and off-peak rates. It will be cheaper to run the lights at night.
I agree. It might take them a few days to get used it but I'm sure they'll be fine.

[PokerReefer]

I have always ran my lights on a cycle off peak hours. In fact two cycles. I have ran my halides from 6am-10am and then again in the evening from 6pm-10pm for the last several years. It is my hours of viewing the tank. And I have achieved two photoperiods in a day. I am currently starting a new tank with a mh/t-5 combo. And plan to run t-5's 5-11 am and halides 6-10am. And the same hours in the evening. On the weekends I run them 10-8. I am home on the weekends and want to see my tank during the day.

[ANGRY JOHN]

i have done something like this for a long time. My day begins at 11 am so the lights are still going for my viewing pleasure when i get home. I also think that setting a cycle like this will be no big deal, but i dont see a reason to switch back after you are on a night cycle.

[john90009]

just dont know how i should go about changing it just all the sudden dont run my lights the whole day then throw them on at the night - or run my lights during the day and then start it also at night

[scram42]

I would think a full day of lighting followed by a full night of lighting might be too much of a shock. I think leaving the lights off for a day and then have them come on at night would be less shocking to your corals and fish. Of course doing it gradually over time would probably be best but that would be a pain in the butt.
Good luck and keep us posted as to how this works for you.

[john90009]

today i started doing the lighting switch i had the lights on for about 30 minutes today after my wrasse family came out from the sand then i fed them all- i then turned the lights off and covered the front glass with a blanket so they get the hint. the corals got the idea and PE was normal for a night time but the fish are slow at getting used to it.

[muffe]

When I ran my lights at night I just blocked off all the windows so no sunlight can get in to the room with the tank. No ill effects were observed running lights at night.

[john90009]

thanks for the feed back- unfortunately the tanks int he living room- i would have opted for it being in the basement- infront of the tank is kinda a bay window and im not sure how my parents would feel about covering the whole window so no light comes in every day.