Which light schedule is best for reef tanks?

A lighting schedule specifies the duration for which you should keep the Led Saltwater Light on in your reef aquarium. The primary goal of a reef aquarium is to create a natural oceanic environment for the corals. While replicating the ocean's unique habitat is impossible, a lighting schedule that includes ramp periods for sunrise and sunset effects is most effective.

To thrive, most reef tanks require 9-12 hours of lighting each day, depending on the light intensity. If the Led Marine Light is operating at the higher PAR ranges for your corals, you will need less lighting time, and vice versa. You can select your own timeframe or one of the following: 8.0 AM to 5.0 PM (9 hours), 8.0 AM to 6.0 PM (10 hours), 7.0 AM to 7.0 PM (12 hours), or 8.0 AM to 8.0 PM (12 hours).

If you opt for a 12-hour lighting schedule, adjust the light to the average PAR ranges of your corals. You can add short ramp periods of 25-30 minutes to both ends of the primary photoperiod to acclimate the corals to the day-to-night transition. If you use a 9-hour schedule, operate the light at the higher PAR ranges for your corals and extend the ramp periods to 1.5 hours with relatively low intensities. This allows for more time to view your reef.

At night, you can switch off the led coral light or use a very dimming lunar light to avoid overstimulating your corals while still enabling viewing. Some reef lights, such as the GAKO Saltwater LED Light Q7, have an adjustable lunar light for nighttime viewing. Alternatively, you can customize the preset schedules of app control lights to program your own moonlight.