Too intense

I don't mind the bright mid-day sun but am also in better spirits in the morning and evening. That's my answer to your question.

That word "never" would be "very" hard to defend.

Then let's hear it

In my experience, too much light burns coral and even algae. Then some algae loves more light and it gets out of control for the average hobbyist, before they realize it.

Yes, we just got this ritteri.  It's worrisome because our last ritteri acted the same way.  Eventually, it rolled under a rock and tango'd with our pistol shrimp.  The shrimp won.  I suspected a temperature problem, but that didn't seem to make a difference.  Since it's cooler today, maybe I can rule it out for sure.  He just fluffs right up as soon as the lights are out for 15 minutes or so.

Just a shot here but I think Adam's response could go something like this, yes the luxor light display may be too much for a 90, But I don't see how you'd fit 39 7000 watt bulbs in 8 square feet of surface area. For the hood area available on a given tank even filling it with MH's would probably not approximate the sun's intensity at high noon in the tropics. Given alot of the things we keep are not within 24" of the surface in the tropics, but there are some things that are exposed to direct sunlight above the surface of the water during low tide on the great barrier reef that thrive. And I'd Imagine that's gotta be a whole lotta light. (very technically put eh?)

Either that or it's a symantics thing. Adam said "you" will never over light your tank, meaning he knows none of us are going to arrange a Vegas style attraction in our own homes. (although I do have a minor mock up of circus circus in my basement  JK)

Personal opinion here, but what the heck...

Adam, well, I disagree.

Weimers, 84 is not that bad. Don't go buying an expensive chiller. Try running a $4 desk fan over the sump and you should be fine. Look at the other creatures in the tank. How are they acting? Many days, 84 is normal for me. In many natural shallow reefs, 84 is also normal!   An excerp from http://www.rshimek.com/reef/tempsal.htm

The article listed below describes in detail the basic physical conditions of coral reefs, and it is also worth examining.

Kleypas, J. A., J. W. McManus, and L. A. B. Menez. 1999. Environmental Limits to Coral Reef Development: Where Do We Draw The Line. American Zoologist. 39: 146-159.

These authors took measurements from over 1000 different reefs, and determined the physical and chemical limits statistically.   

The temperatures they found (Converted to Degrees Fahrenheit):

Averages: Minimum = 69.8º; Maximum 85.1º; Average = 81.(this is the average temperature of all coral reefs).
Minimums; Lowest = 60.8º; Highest = 82.8º; Average = 76.4º.
Maximums: Lowest = 76.2º; Highest = 93.9;º Average = 86.4º.

Some extremely warm and saline reefs were noted.

Extreme Reefs (Maximum Weekly Temperature in Deg. F; Salinity in ppt)
Southern Red Sea = 89.1ºF - 91.2º F; 38-40ppt.
Central Red Sea = 88.7 ºF - 89.1º F ; 40-41 ppt.
Northern Red Sea = up to 88º F; 41-42 ppt.

Those of you with Red Sea animals may well wish to alter the temperatures of your reefs.

Edited by Carl

Because of this thread I decided to try an experiment.  (with my neighbors tank)

Here is his aquarium on the bedroom dresser yesterday.

 

and since we can't add too much light we upped it a little.  What do you think of it now Adam?

 

Yes, I know that 84 degrees isn't bad on the global scale.  In my tank, though - two weeks ago it was around 74 at night to 80 during the day.  Now that it's warming up (weather wise), it's 76 at night to 84 during the day.  The inhabitants aren't looking thrilled with the 84 degrees, but there haven't appeared to have been any problems.  Except the anemone, which seems to not like the light.  We put him under two different ledges, and he didn't attach in either.  I'll try that again and see how it goes.  We do have lots of caves and arches.  27 of them.  I just thought I'd check to see if there is ever just too much light.  I figured I knew what the answer would be - NEVER!  So I got my answer.