Going From T5 To Mh Lighting

[jeasko]

Finally got Mh lighting unit sorted am using a single 250w Mh unit and 2 x t5 marine blue lamps, the blue is really for my benefit but thought it may be better than just springing the full power of the Mh unit on the inhabitants of my tank, i realise that Mh takes time to get to full power but am going with this idea as i like the last hour with just the blue lamps on.

What I am uncertain about is my lighting times when i first install the unit as there seems to be more than a few people suggesting start off with less hours for main lights and build it up, and being that im using a 10000k lamp i dont actually need the blue lights on while the main light is going (makes sense due to the blue in the Mh lamp) so I thought i would go with an hour with blues on, then overlap for 15min with main light on then turn blues off, leave the main unit on for 6 hours then do the reverse for the switch off, then gradually over a week or 2 build the time up that the main light is on, is this a reasonable plan or should i go with a different procedure?

 

[SkiFletch]

Humm, I'm a little confused here. Are you planning on using the blues for color or merely for a more sedate bedtime for the fish? Remember, when a halide fires first, it is veyr dim and that light firing rarely scares fish. It's the plunge into darkness when a halide turns off that is theorized to not be the best of things. If you want to use the blues for color, most people bring them on a little before the halides and then off a little bit after the halides.

 

[jeasko]

ski thats pretty much what i was getting at gonna reverse the switch on cycle so that the blue light is on breifly with the main light then turn the main light off just leaving the blue on for an hour then switch them off, so basically gently waking them up with light and gradually reducing light at the end of the day.

my main point is that should i build up the lighting hours or just keep to what they are used to?

 

[SkiFletch]

What they're used to. If you have corals I migt be concerned with the halide burning them, but the fish will be fine