Ideas for light cycle.

[Raul]

so I got a catalina T5HO 1234 fixture which allows you to control individual lights.

for now it is set 25" from the bottom of the tank, so it is highlight even for the bottom plants.

now I have set this cycle with this photo period:

10 hours of 1 6500K then I turn on one of the roseata plant grow bulb and leave it for 5 hours, in the middle of the 5 hours, I turn on the other two bulbs (10K + roseata) for 2 hours and then start turning them off until I complete the 10 hour cycle. hope I made sense ;-)

Is there any advantage of doing this or not, I just think it will emulate a daylight cycle, but maybe i am nuts.

Yes I am using CO2 and ferts.

[kwc1974]

my two cents, does not matter. In my experience when I did this, I noticed not advantage to doing this. When I did it I even had the CO2 timed to coincided with the lighting. What I did notice was pH swings from the CO2, but that is another topic.

Now I blast CO2 24/7 and lights full on or full off for a 10-12 hr photo period and still get the same results as a staggered photo period.

Having a staggered lighting schedule might have some affect, but I feel it is minimal. It might be more beneficial to your fish for breeding proposes, but I am not qualified to answer that.

[Raul]

well I started doing it and I am sensing the same thing I am not experiencing that difference I am going to start extending the intensity of the high light and see what is the reaction.