Light help

[Poseidon!]

OK so I know my tank has white light and blue light and off I don’t know how long to keep my lights on for or what color they should be should I stay all blue or should I have the white lights on I’ve done a lot of research and saw where the blue is transitioning for nighttime but I honestly don’t know what to do I have a 5 gallon Evo tank my fish are doing fine but my coral just doesn’t seem happy

any suggestions

 

[randomfishdude]

What light do you have? Usually you have a combination of all.

 

[Poseidon!]

What light do you have? Usually you have a combination of all.

 

[randomfishdude]

Not familiar with the light. I'm assuming it just has a screen on it where you adjust. Or if it has a app. I would just go with a default or a lighting setting that has a combination of whites and blues. Usually leaning towards more blue for better looks.

 

[Uncle99]

You want to set a photo period in the 9-12 hour range.
It’s fine to run just blues for say 1-2 hours in the morning and same at night.
Whites can start after 1-2 hours blue time and end 1-2 hours before lights completely out, if your lighting permits that.

That will give you great colour “pop” in the morning and night but, will still have a peak PAR time during the afternoon of white, (contains green, red and blue).

I think corals need a lights out period everyday as well so processes can rest.

Just like water chemistry, light needs to be stable and constant when on.


Once set, never touch them again. Corals take time (some more than others) to adjust their processes to the light and are very good at doing that.

 

[Poseidon!]

You want to set a photo period in the 9-12 hour range.
It’s fine to run just blues for say 1-2 hours in the morning and same at night.
Whites can start after 1-2 hours blue time and end 1-2 hours before lights completely out, if your lighting permits that.

That will give you great colour “pop” in the morning and night but, will still have a peak PAR time during the afternoon of white, (contains green, red and blue).

I think corals need a lights out period everyday as well so processes can rest.

Just like water chemistry, light needs to be stable and constant when on.


Once set, never touch them again. Corals take time (some more than others) to adjust their processes to the light and are very good at doing that.

Sorry to sound dumb. Do the blue lights feed your coral or the white lights ?

 

[randomfishdude]

Sorry to sound dumb. Do the blue lights feed your coral or the white lights ?

Both do