Free coral lighting planner
Reef Lighting Schedule Planner
A reef lighting schedule planner builds a daily reef LED program with ramp-up, peak, ramp-down, PAR targets, and acclimation guidance. Enter your coral type, tank depth, LED family, and start time to get a coral-safe schedule.
Tank and Coral Goals
Choose the coral demand and light family closest to your setup.
Daily Schedule
Set the start time and ramp behavior for a stable reef LED schedule.
Recommended Reef LED Schedule
Target 106-230 PAR with a 11.5 hour photoperiod.
Channel Starting Point
- UV / violet
- 27%
- Blue / royal blue
- 83%
- White
- 24%
Run royal blue and blue high, keep white restrained, and use acclimation mode when raising output.
Coral Placement Note
A balanced schedule creates lower-light pockets for LPS and stronger upper zones for montis and easier acros.
Use a PAR meter when possible. Without one, change intensity slowly and watch for bleaching, stretching, reduced polyp extension, or faded tissue.
How It Works
- 1Choose a coral target. Soft corals, LPS, mixed reefs, SPS, and anemones all need different PAR windows and peak durations.
- 2Adjust for fixture and depth. The planner nudges intensity up for deeper tanks and down when multiple fixtures provide better spread.
- 3Build the daily timing. Start time, ramp up, peak, ramp down, and optional moonlight are converted into a readable daily schedule.
- 4Start below target. Acclimation mode starts lower and gives you a safer path to raise LED intensity over several weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good reef lighting schedule?
A good reef lighting schedule gives corals a gradual sunrise, 6-8 hours of stable peak light, and a gradual sunset. Most reef tanks do well with 9-11 total hours including ramps, not 12-14 hours of high intensity. The exact peak intensity depends on coral type, tank depth, fixture spread, and PAR readings.
How long should reef tank lights be on?
Most reef tank lights should be on for 9-11 hours total, including ramp periods. Soft coral and LPS tanks often use a 6-7 hour peak, while mixed and SPS systems usually use a 7-8 hour peak. Longer photoperiods can fuel algae if nutrients and intensity are not balanced.
What PAR do corals need?
Soft corals commonly thrive around 50-120 PAR, many LPS corals around 75-160 PAR, mixed reef zones around 100-220 PAR, and SPS-dominant areas around 200-350 PAR. These are starting ranges; coral health, nutrients, flow, and acclimation matter as much as the number.
Should reef lights use moonlight all night?
No. If you use moonlight, keep it very dim and short. Corals and fish benefit from a true dark period, and constant overnight blue light can disrupt behavior and encourage algae. A 1-2% blue moonlight for 60-90 minutes after sunset is enough for viewing.
How fast can I increase reef LED intensity?
Increase reef LED intensity slowly, usually 3-5% per week. New lights, new schedules, or major channel changes should start around 70% of the target output. Watch for bleaching, faded tissue, closed polyps, or stretching before raising intensity again.
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Calculate saltwater volume and salt mix for changes.
Track Lighting Changes With Your Reef Data
Use My Reef Log to record lighting adjustments, PAR readings, water tests, coral notes, livestock, and maintenance in one reef keeping journal.
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