What Lighting Schedule Should I Use for My Reef Tank?
Quick Answer
Most reef tanks do best with 8-10 hours of light per day. Start with a gradual ramp-up in the morning, peak intensity for 6-8 hours, then ramp down in the evening to mimic natural sunlight patterns.
Your lighting schedule significantly impacts coral health, growth, and coloration. While there's flexibility based on your specific corals and setup, here's what works for most reef tanks.
Recommended Schedule
- Total photoperiod: 8-10 hours
- Ramp up: 1-2 hours of gradually increasing intensity
- Peak lighting: 6-8 hours at full intensity
- Ramp down: 1-2 hours of decreasing intensity
Sample Schedule
- 10:00 AM: Lights begin ramping up (blues first)
- 11:00 AM: Whites/full spectrum at peak
- 7:00 PM: Begin ramp down
- 8:00 PM: Blues only
- 9:00 PM: Lights off (or moonlights)
Why Ramping Matters
Gradual transitions reduce stress on corals. In nature, light doesn't suddenly blast on at full intensity - it builds gradually with sunrise. Modern LED reef lights make programming these transitions easy.
Common Mistakes
- Too long: More than 12 hours promotes algae without benefiting corals
- Too short: Less than 6 hours may starve photosynthetic corals
- No ramp: Sudden on/off stresses corals and fish
- Inconsistent timing: Stick to the same schedule daily
Blue Light Period
Many reefers run an extended "blue hour" before and after the main photoperiod. This brings out coral fluorescence and creates a beautiful viewing window without the intensity of full-spectrum light.
Track your lighting schedule and coral responses over time with the ReefBay app to find what works best for your specific tank.
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