Steve Michie wrote:
"Koi-lo" wrote in message
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"Steve Michie" wrote in message
...

"Koi-lo" wrote in message
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"Dave@AquaFlora" wrote in message
news:msWyf.117941$OU5.99899@clgrps13...

Anyone's opinions welcome: how long should lights be left on per day to
ensure that plants get their proper photoperiod?

THanks

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Mine are on 12 hours a day, give or take 15 to 30 minutes.


What size tank Koi ? how many watts of light ?

Thanx.

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All my tanks contain live plants. The 10's have those new screw-in
fluorescent bulbs = two 60w bulbs in each reflector.
The 5g has two 40s. The two 55's have those shop lights sitting right
on the rim with 2 40s each. I wish I could get stronger bulbs (like 80ws
per bulb) for these strip reflectors but haven't come across any locally.
Since I have plants in these tanks I change the bulbs yearly as they lose
their ummpt after a year.



ok sweet - if u had 120 W (3 bulbs) over ur 55g - my next question was gonna
be how u control the algae - hehe - i've got 120 W over my 55g and am
battling cloudy water (green algae) with lights on for only 8 hours per
day - cheers.


I keep the lights on for 15 hours plus and although some tanks need
"scraping" twice a week I don't have a great algae problem anymore. IME
it has been a matter of hitting the right balance with plants and algae
eating fish...Oh, and a little bit of manual stuff in the first place
but very little nowadays...I feed the plants but don't use a CO2 unit...

Works for me but very much ymmv

Gill