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That lighting system was really designed for saltwater reef tanks. This doesn't mean you can't use it for freshwater, but it is overkill. What you'll want to do is watch your fish with all the lights on and pay attention to the way they're acting, and their appearance. You might find the hqi's are too bright for them and wash out their colors, if everything looks good, this is how it should be set up:
Dark period- All Off- Give the fish some time to sleep.
Blue LED's come on.-simulates the time before/at sunrise.
T5HO's come on.-simulates sunrise/morning. Blue LED's turn off
HQI's come on-simulate noon/afternoon sun
HQI's turn off
T5HO's on
Blue LEDs on
Dark period
That's the general cycle I would use, adjust the times to fit when you will be viewing the tank, and keep in mind the HQIs are not easy on the electric bill. you will have to experiment with the "afternoon" period to see if it looks better with the T5 and HQI running together, or just the HQI.
Dark period- All Off- Give the fish some time to sleep.
Blue LED's come on.-simulates the time before/at sunrise.
T5HO's come on.-simulates sunrise/morning. Blue LED's turn off
HQI's come on-simulate noon/afternoon sun
HQI's turn off
T5HO's on
Blue LEDs on
Dark period
That's the general cycle I would use, adjust the times to fit when you will be viewing the tank, and keep in mind the HQIs are not easy on the electric bill. you will have to experiment with the "afternoon" period to see if it looks better with the T5 and HQI running together, or just the HQI.
