Sunpod/light timer questions

[nicopenelope]

Hello,
I just changed from a 2 x 40w Current power compact unit that had daylight and actinic and one small lunar light to a 150W 14k Sunpod MH with 6 white and 6 blue lunar lights. I have a few questions.... with the Sunpod, should I be using extra actinic light, or can I just run the Sunpod standalone?
If so, how do I set up the timers? The power compact setup, while not very powerful, had a gradual on and off process: 1 small lunar light at night, then actinics for hour, then daylight....The Sunpod seems so abrasive as the change from 12 lunar lights to the halide is huge. The blue and white lunar lights do have separate power supplies, so should I run them separately or have them on at the same time?
Also, the Sunpod has extremely bright lunar lights compared to the power compact unit. Will the change from 1 lunar light to 12 affect the fish, corals, or nocternal creatures in my aquarium?

I realize I have a lot of questions for my first day on the forum, but I would appreciate any help. Thank you.

 

[jt481]

I too just recently set up a tank with the same sunpod. I only use the lunar lights for night time viewing WHEN I WANT TO. I do not use them for the inhabitants. I do however use actinic supplementation using NO actinic 03 bulb. As for transitions i use the actinic one hour before, throughtout and one hour after the sunpod.

 

[nicopenelope]

Thank you for your help. In what kind of fixture do you have your actinic bulb and how do you have it mounted?

 

[jt481]

I have the Oceanic contrast series 30 gallon cube with glass canopy. I kept the light fixture that came with the system and replaced the 15 watt NO flourescent bulb with a actinic. You can view "the tank of jt48" in member tank specifications.