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

THanks

In a word: Twelve

Actually I think opinions will vary from 10-14 hours, but 12 is a good
starting point. If you are running a whole lotta light... go for less
(maybe). Low light=longer (maybe).

In article msWyf.117941$OU5.99899@clgrps13,
Dave@AquaFlora wrote:
Anyone's opinions welcome: how long should lights be left on per day to
ensure that plants get their proper photoperiod?

Within reason, they don't care. Ideally they get 12 hr on 12 hr off
but a fewe hours either way doesn't really matter. Lots of plants are
grown under 24 hr light.

--
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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

My tanks are low - moderate light plants and
I run the lights 12 hours daily, even in winter.
I suppose one could shorten the time in
winter. Maybe I'll try that.

Gail
near San Antonio TX where "winter"
is rather rare

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

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
NEW PAGE: Aquariums:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastada...ium-Page4.html
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
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"Koi-lo" wrote in message
...

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


What size tank Koi ? how many watts of light ?

Thanx.

On Tue, 17 Jan 2006 00:00:18 GMT, "Dave@AquaFlora"
wrote:

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

THanks


Mine are on timers: on 4am, off 1pm, on 3pm and off 8pm, 14 hours
total.

In nature the hours would vary by season and weather, so who can say?

dick

"Steve Michie" wrote in message
...

"Koi-lo" wrote in message
...

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


What size tank Koi ? how many watts of light ?

Thanx.
=================================
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.
--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
Aquariums: http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastada...ium-Page4.html
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

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

THanks


My lights are on for as long as I'm awake and watching the fish. So on
average this can be around 15 hours a day. I think I've read somewhere
that 12 is the optimum for plants and that any light over and above that
is a waste - unless of course you want to view the fish

Gill

On Tue, 17 Jan 2006 16:53:02 +0000, Gill Passman
wrote:

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

THanks


My lights are on for as long as I'm awake and watching the fish. So on
average this can be around 15 hours a day. I think I've read somewhere
that 12 is the optimum for plants and that any light over and above that
is a waste - unless of course you want to view the fish

Gill

I'm with you Gill and like to view my fish after dinner up to bedtime
so I adjust my timer - on at 7am, off at 10am on at 3pm, off at 11pm

"Koi-lo" wrote in message
...

"Steve Michie" wrote in message
...

"Koi-lo" wrote in message
...

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


What size tank Koi ? how many watts of light ?

Thanx.
=================================
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.

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

"Steve Michie" wrote in message
...

"Koi-lo" wrote in message
...

"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

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


What size tank Koi ? how many watts of light ?

Thanx.

=================================
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

"Steve Michie" wrote in message
...

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've gotten rid of green water with nothing more than stepped up partial
water changes. The Vortex DE filter is excellent to remove floating algae.
--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
Aquariums: http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastada...ium-Page4.html
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

"Koi-lo" wrote in message
...

"Steve Michie" wrote in message
...

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've gotten rid of green water with nothing more than stepped up partial
water changes. The Vortex DE filter is excellent to remove floating
algae.


yeah, I tried extra water changes, extra gravel vacuuming, weekly blackout
periods - without success - but after 1 week with the vortex diatom & a 2nd
charge of powder - a massive improvement - not 100% crystal clear yet - but
the plants are starting to flourish again - so another few weeks and the
micro floating algae (that the vortex cant trap) might just get outcompeted
by the plants - fingers crossed. I'm still dosing CO2 but have stopped
dosing iron & potassium.

Cheers.

Many plants close up after a peroid of about 7-10 hours, so they are
not needing any more obviously.

So I stick with 10-11hours.

The other benefit: less heat in the summer, less electric bills all
year, less bulb burn outs/changes etc.

Timers are rather simple devices and folks can use them to set the
times they are around their tanks.

Regards,
Tom Barr

www.BarrReport.com