In my 125g I have 6 20 watt bulbs, 2 are actinic 03 and four are powerglow.
I was wondering if anyone had any ideas about turning on (via a timer) the
two blue actinic lights say 30 minutes before you turn on all the lights and
leave them on for 30 minutes after the powerglo's turn off. This could
simulate sunrise/sunset. Anyone have any experience? Did you use actinic
blue or another color? I woulnd't be adverse to putting in a fourth set of
lights for the purpose of the sunrise/sunset part. What is a good color? I
like the blue because its not too bright even though its 40W over a 125g,
the equivalent wattage of powerglo's makes it bright (not a dim
sunrise/sunset). Should I step down to a smaller bulb for this and put in
say a 10W ballast in each light hood?

Thanks

While sitting at a computer Christopher wrote:
In my 125g I have 6 20 watt bulbs, 2 are actinic 03 and four are
powerglow. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas about turning on
(via a timer) the two blue actinic lights say 30 minutes before you
turn on all the lights and leave them on for 30 minutes after the
powerglo's turn off. This could simulate sunrise/sunset. Anyone
have any experience? Did you use actinic blue or another color? I
woulnd't be adverse to putting in a fourth set of lights for the
purpose of the sunrise/sunset part. What is a good color? I like
the blue because its not too bright even though its 40W over a 125g,
the equivalent wattage of powerglo's makes it bright (not a dim
sunrise/sunset). Should I step down to a smaller bulb for this and
put in say a 10W ballast in each light hood?

Thanks

http://www.thekrib.com/Lights/sunset.html

never tried it but it sounds really good, if you can get the bulbs!

Stu

Stuart Mueller wrote:

While sitting at a computer Christopher wrote:
In my 125g I have 6 20 watt bulbs, 2 are actinic 03 and four are
powerglow. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas about turning on
(via a timer) the two blue actinic lights say 30 minutes before you
turn on all the lights and leave them on for 30 minutes after the
powerglo's turn off. This could simulate sunrise/sunset.

http://www.thekrib.com/Lights/sunset.html

never tried it but it sounds really good, if you can get the bulbs!

Now there's an elegant solution to no known problem! I wonder if anyone
ever built that?

Back in the real world, I have my lights on two timers, offset by 15
minutes. The fish get a whole lot less jolted when just on bank turns on
(the back bank, which actually lights up the tank less than the front
bank). When all 220 W came on at once, they get perturbed.

I think 15 minutes is plenty. That's also the smallest division on the
timer!

"Christopher" wrote in message
hlink.net...
In my 125g I have 6 20 watt bulbs, 2 are actinic 03 and four are
powerglow.
I was wondering if anyone had any ideas about turning on (via a timer) the
two blue actinic lights say 30 minutes before you turn on all the lights
and
leave them on for 30 minutes after the powerglo's turn off. This could
simulate sunrise/sunset. Anyone have any experience? Did you use actinic
blue or another color? I woulnd't be adverse to putting in a fourth set
of
lights for the purpose of the sunrise/sunset part. What is a good color?
I
like the blue because its not too bright even though its 40W over a 125g,
the equivalent wattage of powerglo's makes it bright (not a dim
sunrise/sunset). Should I step down to a smaller bulb for this and put in
say a 10W ballast in each light hood?

Thanks




I do the exact same thing with my 180. I have 2 actinic bulbs in the back
and 2 regular bulbs from HD in the fron. I manually turn on the blues ones
first for about 10 minutes before the white ones and turn off the blue ones
last at night. That way they dont get freaked out.

~Mort

Where can I buy the Blue lights? home Depot?

"Mort" wrote in message
news:MHqja.330543$F1.53900@sccrnsc04...

"Christopher" wrote in message
hlink.net...
In my 125g I have 6 20 watt bulbs, 2 are actinic 03 and four are
powerglow.
I was wondering if anyone had any ideas about turning on (via a timer)
the
two blue actinic lights say 30 minutes before you turn on all the lights
and
leave them on for 30 minutes after the powerglo's turn off. This could
simulate sunrise/sunset. Anyone have any experience? Did you use
actinic
blue or another color? I woulnd't be adverse to putting in a fourth set
of
lights for the purpose of the sunrise/sunset part. What is a good
color?
I
like the blue because its not too bright even though its 40W over a
125g,
the equivalent wattage of powerglo's makes it bright (not a dim
sunrise/sunset). Should I step down to a smaller bulb for this and put
in
say a 10W ballast in each light hood?

Thanks




I do the exact same thing with my 180. I have 2 actinic bulbs in the back
and 2 regular bulbs from HD in the fron. I manually turn on the blues
ones
first for about 10 minutes before the white ones and turn off the blue
ones
last at night. That way they dont get freaked out.

~Mort

"Madd Hatter" wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
Where can I buy the Blue lights? home Depot?



The Blue ones I am referring to came from my LFS.

Check out the coralife brand.

~Mort








"Mort" wrote in message
news:MHqja.330543$F1.53900@sccrnsc04...

"Christopher" wrote in message
hlink.net...
In my 125g I have 6 20 watt bulbs, 2 are actinic 03 and four are
powerglow.
I was wondering if anyone had any ideas about turning on (via a timer)
the
two blue actinic lights say 30 minutes before you turn on all the
lights
and
leave them on for 30 minutes after the powerglo's turn off. This
could
simulate sunrise/sunset. Anyone have any experience? Did you use
actinic
blue or another color? I woulnd't be adverse to putting in a fourth
set
of
lights for the purpose of the sunrise/sunset part. What is a good
color?
I
like the blue because its not too bright even though its 40W over a
125g,
the equivalent wattage of powerglo's makes it bright (not a dim
sunrise/sunset). Should I step down to a smaller bulb for this and
put
in
say a 10W ballast in each light hood?

Thanks




I do the exact same thing with my 180. I have 2 actinic bulbs in the
back
and 2 regular bulbs from HD in the fron. I manually turn on the blues
ones
first for about 10 minutes before the white ones and turn off the blue
ones
last at night. That way they dont get freaked out.

~Mort