T5 ighting HELP

[taat2d]

Just got my Finnex 6 bulb t5 light fixture. It comes with 3 switches and for cords. One cord is for the 4 lunar lights, and has its own switch. The other cords have their own on/off switch ass well. The light comes with 3 actinic and 3 sunlight bulbs. It's set up as follows as far as I can figure, 1 switch turns on 2 actinic, the nest one turns on 1 actinic and 1 daylight, and the last turns on the 2 remaining daylight bulbs.

Now what is the amount of time I need for the first 2 switches to turn on? How many minutes do the actinic need to be on alone before the next switch turns on adding 1 more actinic and 1 daylight. Then how many minutes shod the second set of lights be on before the 3rd one kicks in?

I hope I explained this the right way and I'm not onfusing the hell out of all of you like I am right now.

 

[deelucky]

ok first you should get some timers.now here is my time for lights at 12pm my actinics and goes off at 10pm.my mh bulbs come on at 3pm and go off at 9pm. moonlights would come on after actinics go out.hope that helps.you can make your light schedule to satisfy your viewing.

 

[taat2d]

Ok that sounds simple enough. Now since the tank is brand new and I have nothing in in yet. Once it totally cycles and at first all I plan on adding is fish. How many hours would I put the light on for? Do I ned the light on for a certain amount of hours for the LR? Once I get my reef established or start ading corals hows many hours do I need? 8-10?

 

[drperetz]

...

What kind of a reflector does ur light have ?

 

[taat2d]

I'm not sure about the reflector here is the light I bought.
http://www.finnex.net/pages/product/lighting/T5.html#

 

[SuRFeR BoY]

i feel when it comes to t5s you need individual reflectors... which that fixture does not come with. are you asking how long you should keep your lights on?

 

[taat2d]

i feel when it comes to t5s you need individual reflectors... which that fixture does not come with. are you asking how long you should keep your lights on?

YEs I'm asking how ong they need to be on. I figure 1 hour for actinic, 1 hour for second set of lights which is 1 actinic and 1 daylight, then the last set of bulbs is daylight and I/m not sure how long they need to be on.

 

[taat2d]

Bump

 

[digitalreefer]

If you do a search, there's a thread that had a poll of lighting times in everyone's tank. You'll likely want to schedule it around your optimum viewing time (when you'll be home).

As an example lighting schedule, you could do 1 hour actinics, one hour 50/50, 6 hours full light, one hour 50/50, one hour actinics.... moonlights. Depending on how the tank goes, you can always adjust it slowly later.

 

[taat2d]

If you do a search, there's a thread that had a poll of lighting times in everyone's tank. You'll likely want to schedule it around your optimum viewing time (when you'll be home).

As an example lighting schedule, you could do 1 hour actinics, one hour 50/50, 6 hours full light, one hour 50/50, one hour actinics.... moonlights. Depending on how the tank goes, you can always adjust it slowly later.

Is 6 hours of full light enough?