Poll... Photo Period Change

[GTR]

I've been slowly reducing my photo period over the last couple months. I've always used what most would consider a long period for my MH. Somewhere around 12 hours per day. I'm down to about 8 hours per day over most tanks and out of the 7 MH I'm running only 2 have supplemental VHO. So for most of mine it's MH or nothing. I see a slight difference in color (darker but not brown) but none in growth since the reduction. My reasoning was simple economics and trying to reduce power consumption before the chiller season kicks in.

Pick one out of the first six choices.
Pick one of the last two if it applies.

SteveU

[Aged Salt]

Steve, run actinics with your MH's[no matter what K] for tissue chromatophore exctitation & florescence[read: color]. I'm currently running my MH's between 9-10 hrs/day & VHO actinics 12hrs. Bob

[GTR]

Bob... I'm not sure if the VHO (actinic) really changes the color of the coral or just our perception of that color. Most of my MH only are 14K which to me look real blue. I'm not a fan of high K bulbs but without supplemental light I guess it's ok.

SteveU

[GTR]

Also... I might add that I think ZEOvit may allow us a shorter photo period and hince may be a benefit not mentioned in the past. Water clearity may be coming into play here as well.

SteveU

[gqjeff]

9 hrs 400 watt MH's and 12 hrs vho with t5....

[Brad Villeggiante]

I have stayed the same

MH-10 Hours a day
10K VHO's-10.5 Hours a day
Actinic VHO's-11 Hours a day

[G.Alexander]

Steve, I run my MH bulbs 7 hours (3 x 250W – 10.000K) and my T5 blue tubes (4 x 80 W) 12 hours. I have reduced the MH lighting period about 3 years ago coming down from 9 hours. I have not noticed any positive or negative effect. OK positive was the reduction of the electricity bill

IMO the length of the lighting period also depends to the strength of the bulbs and the bulbs kelvin, also the place where the corals are hosted (directly under the bulb or outside).

G.Alexander

[Diesel3443]

I reduced my 150w de's from 10hrs a day to 6hrs a day and know my corals are still coloring up--go figure, a lot of wasted money on electricity I run my t5's for 12 hrs