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![]() | Lighting duration |
upikabu![]() Fish Addict Posts: 591 Kudos: 393 Votes: 44 Registered: 08-Jun-2005 ![]() ![]() | Hi all, I have a stupid question for those of you who work during the day and have planted tank(s): when does your light come on and off? Currently all my tank lights are on a timer, 6am to 4pm. I do this because I usually feed the fish at 7am (I like to give them some time to "wake up" before they eat ![]() I read in the Baensch Atlas that turning the lights off for a couple of hours in the middle of the day doesn't affect plant growth and might even prevent algae issue. Can anyone vouch for that? I don't have any big algae issue at the moment, so I don't want to break something that's working. But if I could have the lights on from 6am-12pm and 2pm-8pm without affecting the plants, that means my fish could eat twice a day. ![]() Sorry for the rambling (it's Friday afternoon and I'm bored at work ![]() Last edited by upikabu at 30-Sep-2005 00:31 -P ![]() |
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mattyboombatty![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Moderator Tenellus Obsessor Posts: 2790 Kudos: 1507 Votes: 1301 Registered: 26-Mar-2004 ![]() ![]() ![]() |
This would probably work out just right for you. I've put breaks in the day before with no ill effects. However, I currently just have the lights turn on at about noon so I can enjoy the tank after I get home from work, and feed them twice after work. Either way aught to work well for ya. Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients |
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sham![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 3369 Kudos: 2782 Votes: 98 Registered: 21-Apr-2004 ![]() ![]() | The first light comes on at noon and the last one goes off at 10pm. The tank is brightest at 3-5pm. The curtains are always kept closed in that room. I haven't had a problem with that and neither do the fish. |
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bensaf![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Fish Master Posts: 1978 Kudos: 1315 Registered: 08-Apr-2004 ![]() ![]() | The lights don't have to be on to feed them. If the room as a window, the fish enjoy a bit of early morning light (most of them do their spawning at this time, so really do enjoy it ![]() I feed mine in the morning with just a little natural light, they have no problems finding the food, in fact there's usually a line of fish waiting at the top for breakfast. Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability. |
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keithgh![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() *Ultimate Fish Guru* Posts: 6371 Kudos: 6918 Votes: 1542 Registered: 26-Apr-2003 ![]() ![]() ![]() | Upikabu At the moment it is light at 6am in Melb any way. I would alter the clock to come on about 10am and go off at 8pm. Remember daylight saving is comming up unless you are in Qld just try with a few different settings. I would not be infavour of lights off during the day as the poor fish & plants would be too confused During the winter the room lighting would be enough for feeding. http://fishprofiles.com/files/forums/Photo%20Booth/49003.html?200508270342 Keith ![]() ![]() Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do. I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT? ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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upikabu![]() Fish Addict Posts: 591 Kudos: 393 Votes: 44 Registered: 08-Jun-2005 ![]() ![]() | Thanks for the tips. I've moved the timer to 10am-8pm on the tank that's in a bright room and will try the morning feeding under natural light. I am also going to try the 2hr midday breakup (6am-12pm, 2pm-8pm) on the tank that's in a dark room. The other tank will remain as is (6am-4pm), so I can compare the effects of the changes (if any). And Keith, I am in QLD, so no daylight savings (thank goodness). ![]() Thanks again! -P ![]() |
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LITTLE_FISH![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ***** Little Fish ***** Master of Something Posts: 7303 Kudos: 1997 Votes: 670 Registered: 20-May-2005 ![]() ![]() | upikabu, I hear your pain. I have the same problem as I leave the house at 7 and I am back by 6 at night. For a while I did the same than what you are just starting to do, turning off the lights at midday for a few hours. I also heard that it should help in preventing algae from getting the upper hand because they need a longer startup phase to grow when the lights come on. Nevertheless, I gave up on that method. I know I am not attempting to replicate the nature in my tanks, but a 2 hour lights off period during the day does not happen naturally. People say that branched of trees shade the water during the day cycle, but the remaining light in nature is so much stronger and fish have the option to swim into these sections where there is no shade (as I have seen many times in ponds). I prefer now to adjust my light period to a later start (and as such end) time, but it all depends on the individual tank and owners preferences. Ingo ![]() |
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crazyred![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Fish Addict LAZY and I don't care :D Posts: 575 Kudos: 360 Votes: 293 Registered: 26-Aug-2005 ![]() ![]() | I've been in this quandry for a while as well and here's what I'm doing at the moment.....I get up in the morning (6:30) turn on some room light so as not to blind the fish. After a while I turn on the tank light, do a head count (still paranoid ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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jsparkman![]() ![]() Hobbyist Posts: 129 Kudos: 101 Votes: 0 Registered: 14-Sep-2003 ![]() ![]() | I have a floor lamp on a time that comes on at 6am for an hour. It's across the room from the tank. I feed about 6:45am and then when I get home around 5pm or so. The tank lights come on at 8am and stay on until 9pm. The floor lamp comes on again around 8:45pm and stays on about 45 min then it's bed time for them! |
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LITTLE_FISH![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ***** Little Fish ***** Master of Something Posts: 7303 Kudos: 1997 Votes: 670 Registered: 20-May-2005 ![]() ![]() | jsparkman, That is quite a long lighting period, 13 hours. How strong is your light and what is the tank size (135G?). No issues as of yet? When did you start this setup? Ingo ![]() |
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Babelfish![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Administrator Small Fry with Ketchup Posts: 6833 Kudos: 8324 Votes: 1570 Registered: 17-Apr-2003 ![]() ![]() ![]() | Current lighting *attempts to remember* 8.30a - 7.00 P On again 9-11p So I can come home to a semi lit house ![]() Durring the summer 3am-10am and on again in the evenings sometime :%)...for heat reasons. Light timers are a gift from the plant gods :%)! ^_^[hr width='40%'] "in any case, chocolate is hardly a rare comodity." said Chaos. "There are planets covered in the stuff" REALLY? "Indeed." IT MIGHT BE BEST, said Death, IF NEWS LIKE THAT DID NOT GET ABOUT. ~ Theif of Time [link=Terry Pratchett]http://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/" style="COLOR: #EB4288[/link] ![]() |
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jsparkman![]() ![]() Hobbyist Posts: 129 Kudos: 101 Votes: 0 Registered: 14-Sep-2003 ![]() ![]() | LittleFish, I currently only have 145w and yes, it's 135 gal. plants have been in for 2 weeks now and they look fine. all show new growth. I just receivd additional lighting that will take it up to 220w so i'll be playing with the duration. I've read that lights should be on between 10-13 hrs per day. |
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LITTLE_FISH![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ***** Little Fish ***** Master of Something Posts: 7303 Kudos: 1997 Votes: 670 Registered: 20-May-2005 ![]() ![]() | jsparkman, I am pretty sure that it will be essential for your tank that you reduce the light duration once the new wattage is applied. As our friend Bensaf would say: “plants are only willing to work for a certain time and then would like to close shop for the night (as can be seen in various fine leaves stem plants that literally close their tops). Any additional light thereafter will greatly benefit the algae production.” I am actually not really quoting him here, but you get the point. Hey, how about posting some pics of the tank (maybe you did, but I didn’t see any)? Ingo ![]() |
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jsparkman![]() ![]() Hobbyist Posts: 129 Kudos: 101 Votes: 0 Registered: 14-Sep-2003 ![]() ![]() | I posted pics in another thread. these were taken the day I planted. http://community.webshots.com/album/459553078ENNLOA I'm going to take updated pics tonight and again after I add the lights and then repost. James |
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bensaf![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Fish Master Posts: 1978 Kudos: 1315 Registered: 08-Apr-2004 ![]() ![]() | The WPG goes out the window with such a large tank. Your current lighting is actually pretty good for a big tank. The 220 watts would allow you to grow anything. Any Co2 on this tank ? If not I'd be a bit worried about the 220 watts. Lights on for about 11 hours. If you have 2 fixtures, you could try staggering them. Have the 135 watts run for the full 11 hours but only run the full 220 watts for about 4 hours in the middle of the lighting period. This is the kind of method Amano uses on his tanks. All his tanks are basically low light, he just gives a big blast of light in the middle of the day to spur on photosynthesis. The rest of the time the tanks are basically low light. Sorry, forgot to mention, nice tank ![]() ![]() Last edited by bensaf at 04-Oct-2005 21:27 Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability. |
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