How best to simulate Photo-period

[Randy]

I am in the process of sourcing the equipment for a 390 gallon 96 x 30 x 31 tall tank. My first thoughts on lighting are 4 - Reef Sun Dual Bulb MH 400 W 10,00K units and 3 - 160 W Super Actinics. I want to simulate the photo-period as best as possible and wondered if others had suggestions. Also interested in Simulating Moonlight, but am not aware of any lunar lighting that would be sufficient for such a large tank.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Randy

[dakar]

Your lighting looks like it will be great for keeping just about anything you want. For the moonlighting effect the easiest route would be a DIY, wire up a couple dozen LED's, that would do it.

[davejnz]

IMO,It is very difficult to simulate a natural photoperiod.With the sun rising in the east,setting in the west,there are always different lighting intensisties that corals are subjected to over the course of the day.I think a left to right/on/off configuration of your 4 halides via timers would do a good job in trying to recreate that effect.That said,i don't know of anyone who employs that method.

[dakar]

Thanks for the reminder David, I've been planning on doing that across our halides, been one of those things that just never got around to getting the extra timers or controllers to set it up right.

[Randy]

That is a good Idea. Thanks for the suggestion.