Cloud Cover and Lighting

[Mark Gray]

Hi all I was wondering if anyone had any cloud cover lighting programs that they are using. I do not get out in the sun much but I remember back when I was young on a cloudy day you were more likely to get sun burnt. I guess the UV ray's increase but not sure.

 

[John3]

I think that is mostly just for your eye appeal, not much benefit to the corals.

 

[ncaldwell]

I use it but only because I like the way it looks. People have been successful without using it on metal halides and t5s long before LEDs added that as a gimmick. I doubt it will matter one way or another

 

[Mark Gray]

I seem to remember Dana was going to do some thing on this I was just curious, But I do believe on a sunny day with clouds moving over the UV rays are more intense

 

[User1]

I wouldn't say just for aesthetics but rather serves a useful, albeit, different purpose. I have storm and cloud settings on my Reef Angel controller with a pair of multi-channel LED chips. The reason I say more than just aesthetics is because you can control when they come on randomly, time of day, number of times per day, and of course intensity. To include duration and number of strikes. Could be 100% coincidence but I've seen my rose bubble tips spawn during one outing and another time my snails. Because the intensity and duration will vary it would be the middle of the day, normal lighting program, then all of a sudden for the next hour or so the lights are running lower than normal intensity.

I mean I get it that it is a bit nerdy and may not really add anything real but at the end of the day it is a random act that does change the lighting intensity. How that factors in to Mother Nature / real world vs my home aquarium is unknown :)