Light timer question for those with Biocube LED

[MartyG]

I just set up the Biocube 32 LED. This is the first tank I've had with a built in timer for all the lights. I have it set up like this for right now but may change it to add some time so it's completely dark. The instructions for the timer were a little confusing to me so let me know what you think. Thanks.

L1 (daylight) 9am - 9pm

L2 (dusk to dawn) 8:30am - 9pm (this is the conusing part as it adds 30 mins for twilight). Does it shut off during the daylight hours and come back on later?

L3 (moonlight) 9:30pm - 8:30am (may change this to go off completely at like 2am for some total darkness)

[Scurvy Dawg]

I just set up the Biocube 32 LED. This is the first tank I've had with a built in timer for all the lights. I have it set up like this for right now but may change it to add some time so it's completely dark. The instructions for the timer were a little confusing to me so let me know what you think. Thanks.

L1 (daylight) 9am - 9pm

L2 (dusk to dawn) 8:30am - 9pm (this is the conusing part as it adds 30 mins for twilight). Does it shut off during the daylight hours and come back on later?

L3 (moonlight) 9:30pm - 8:30am (may change this to go off completely at like 2am for some total darkness)

I dont think your L2 (channel 2) adds any time to what you set it at. It gradually ramps up in a 30 min time frame. So at 8:30a it will start dim and ramp up to full power after 30 minutes (9:00a). So the way you set it up, your daylight lights (L1) and your Color enhancing LEDS (L2) will be on from 8:30a till 9:00pm. Your moonlight (L3) will be on from 9:00p to 8:30a

So I think what you want is:

L1 on from 9:00a to 8:30p
L2 from 8:30a to 9:00pm
L3 from 9:00p to 8:30a

This gives you your dawn time from 8:30a to 9:00a and your dusk time from 8:30p to 9:00p. In between those two time periods you have full lighting. (both L1 and L2 are on)

[MartyG]

I dont think your L2 (channel 2) adds any time to what you set it at. It gradually ramps up in a 30 min time frame. So at 8:30a it will start dim and ramp up to full power after 30 minutes (9:00a). So the way you set it up, your daylight lights (L1) and your Color enhancing LEDS (L2) will be on from 8:30 till 9:00pm. Your moonlight (L3) will be on from 9:00p to 8:30a

So I think what you want is:

L1 on from 9:00a to 8:30p
L2 from 8:30a to 9:00pm
L3 from 9:00p to 8:30a

This gives you your dawn time from 8:30a to 9:00a and your dusk time from 8:30p to 9:00p. In between those two time periods you have full lighting. (both L1 and L2 are on)

Thanks... that was the confusing part - L2

Is there a recommended amount of moonlight time?

[Scurvy Dawg]

I don't think so. As far as I know, the moonlights don't do anything coral or livestock-wise. I would leave them on for a few hours after your dusk lights turn off and then shut all the lights off until your light schedule restarts in the morning. You may want to dial down the time your full lights are going from 12 hrs to 8 or 10. Might cause an algae problem being on that long.

[Narwhal82]

The moonlights provide a lot of blue light and PAR during the day.

I think the programming of the lights are causing some confusion.

The moonlights are not supposed to run all night long. Every tank should have an OFF time when the lights are completely dark so that fish can rest. Fish sleep too and having a high energy blue light shining on them is not conducive to that. For that reason the Biocube LED's were designed with a 30 minute ramp up and down for the BeautyMax and Blue channels.

I would recommend the following program for you Marty:

LC1 (Daylights) 9:00 am until 9:00 pm (you may want to reduce that if its a new tank to about 8 hours a day and then increase it back to 12 once you start adding corals).

LC2 (BeautyMax) 8:30 am until 9:00 pm. The LED's will come on at 8:30 am and ramp up to full intensity by 9:00 am. They will start ramping down at 9:00 pm and go off by 9:30 pm.

LC3 (Blue LED's) on at 7:00 am and off at 11:00 pm. The Blue LED's will come on at 7:00 am and ramp up to full intensity by 7:30 am. They will start going off at 11:00 pm and be off entirely by 11:30 pm.

Keep in mind that the Moonrise/Sunrise, and Sunset/Moonset are purely aesthetic choices and you can lengthen the time you want just these channels on by adjusting the time between when they start/stop and the daylights. It does create a really cool fluorescent look for your corals that a lot of people enjoy.

With all channels on the CCT will be in excess of 25,000K during the day. But if you turn the moonlights off during the day it will drop down into the 12,000K range.

Andy

[MartyG]

The moonlights provide a lot of blue light and PAR during the day.

I think the programming of the lights are causing some confusion.

The moonlights are not supposed to run all night long. Every tank should have an OFF time when the lights are completely dark so that fish can rest. Fish sleep too and having a high energy blue light shining on them is not conducive to that. For that reason the Biocube LED's were designed with a 30 minute ramp up and down for the BeautyMax and Blue channels.

I would recommend the following program for you Marty:

LC1 (Daylights) 9:00 am until 9:00 pm (you may want to reduce that if its a new tank to about 8 hours a day and then increase it back to 12 once you start adding corals).

LC2 (BeautyMax) 8:30 am until 9:00 pm. The LED's will come on at 8:30 am and ramp up to full intensity by 9:00 am. They will start ramping down at 9:00 pm and go off by 9:30 pm.

LC3 (Blue LED's) on at 7:00 am and off at 11:00 pm. The Blue LED's will come on at 7:00 am and ramp up to full intensity by 7:30 am. They will start going off at 11:00 pm and be off entirely by 11:30 pm.

Keep in mind that the Moonrise/Sunrise, and Sunset/Moonset are purely aesthetic choices and you can lengthen the time you want just these channels on by adjusting the time between when they start/stop and the daylights. It does create a really cool fluorescent look for your corals that a lot of people enjoy.

With all channels on the CCT will be in excess of 25,000K during the day. But if you turn the moonlights off during the day it will drop down into the 12,000K range.

Andy

Thanks Andy that is great explanation of the system. Right now my LC1 and LC 2 are pretty much as you described. However I don't have LC3 running at all during the day with the other lights and only at night. Do you recommend overlapping as you described or keeping them off during the day? Thanks again.

[Narwhal82]

I would definitely overlap them.

It adds PAR and contributes to a more bluer look to the tank which is the general aesthetic preference for marine tanks.


Andy

[BigBearMD]

Wow. I have been running LC1 for I think 4 hours during the day 11a-3p (I think). LC2 is like 8a-5p and moon from 5p-10p.

How's everyone's coral responding to that much LC1?

I have a blasto on the sand (rumble on sand technically) that is loving it. My hammer about 6 inches up doing fine not growing too fast. A frog spawn that I just moved half way down the rock work because it was browning a bit. Zoas near the sand look stable not growing that I can tell.


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[Shepdaddy99]

Hey all.....I did those exact setting but only the 1st setting, daylight, is showing.

[BigBearMD]

Hm. Is it a new set up? I had a notice that some needed to be reset with a paper clip after turning them on for the first time.


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[Shepdaddy99]

It is working now, but when all 3 channels are in at the same time, it is not blue, but a soft white.

[Blitz132]

It is working now, but when all 3 channels are in at the same time, it is not blue, but a soft white.

With all 3 set to be on, the LEDs should be at their brightest not soft white. Also I might add with all 3 on it won't have a blue tint to it.

[Moose1074]

The moonlights provide a lot of blue light and PAR during the day.

I think the programming of the lights are causing some confusion.

The moonlights are not supposed to run all night long. Every tank should have an OFF time when the lights are completely dark so that fish can rest. Fish sleep too and having a high energy blue light shining on them is not conducive to that. For that reason the Biocube LED's were designed with a 30 minute ramp up and down for the BeautyMax and Blue channels.

I would recommend the following program for you Marty:

LC1 (Daylights) 9:00 am until 9:00 pm (you may want to reduce that if its a new tank to about 8 hours a day and then increase it back to 12 once you start adding corals).

LC2 (BeautyMax) 8:30 am until 9:00 pm. The LED's will come on at 8:30 am and ramp up to full intensity by 9:00 am. They will start ramping down at 9:00 pm and go off by 9:30 pm.

LC3 (Blue LED's) on at 7:00 am and off at 11:00 pm. The Blue LED's will come on at 7:00 am and ramp up to full intensity by 7:30 am. They will start going off at 11:00 pm and be off entirely by 11:30 pm.

Keep in mind that the Moonrise/Sunrise, and Sunset/Moonset are purely aesthetic choices and you can lengthen the time you want just these channels on by adjusting the time between when they start/stop and the daylights. It does create a really cool fluorescent look for your corals that a lot of people enjoy.

With all channels on the CCT will be in excess of 25,000K during the day. But if you turn the moonlights off during the day it will drop down into the 12,000K range.

Andy

[Moose1074]

Hey Andy.

What would you recommend for the Biocube 16 as for as times are concerned. I work evenings and would like to come home sometimes and enjoy the "moonlight phase" before heading to
Bed. I usually get in no later than 1130pm. Thanks in advance for your help