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Old 01-06-2004, 12:10 PM
Dick
 
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Default Optimum light period for planted and non-planted tanks..?

On Mon, 31 May 2004 16:02:05 -0400, "Phil Williamson"
wrote:

What's the optimum light period for planted and non-planted tanks? What can
happen in both cases if the light period isn't regulated and just turned on
at different times each day?

Phil..

I have 5 tanks ranging from 75 to 10 gallons. I have "low light"
plants. After going through a bad case of "black hair algae" I
considered the hours of light and followed a suggestion to limit the
light to 13 hours daily with a 2 hour 'off' period mid day. Not all
tanks are equal. This schedule works fine for my 75 and 29 gallon,
but those tanks have the larger colonies of scavengers. My 3 ten
gallon tanks get brown algae on the glass and one 10 that has a huge
Anubia, some of the leaves have a black looking algae.

I haven't really experimented with different light schedules. I can
live with cleaning the glass once in awhile so long my fish are
healthy and the plants are healthy.

If you are planning for a new tank, first consider what light will be
available, that is, how many watts per gallon. Most of the standard
aquarium kits provide only "low light" levels and that diminishes as
the bulbs age. Unless you are a real plant nut, go for the low light
plants. They also grow more slowly meaning less maintenance.

I don't like non planted tanks. I even anchor plants in my quarantine
tank (no gravel to hold the plants down).

After your tank is adjusted to the plant and fish load, then I would
tinker with the light hours. There is a problem with too many hours
of light, in my opinion. Algae is the enemy. Plecos and Siamese
Algae Eaters only do so much. There are other algae eaters, I have
heard good things about the "American Flag" fish, but you are asking
about light in this thread. I presume algae is the enemy you want to
avoid.