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#1
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How Long Should The Lights Be On?
Hi All,
Now that I've got my tank all set up the way I want with my massively overpowering lights (well, they would be if I had them all on at once).... How long should I leave the lights on? Can you over light a tank? Right now they're on from 7:15 am to 11:45 pm. Thanks, Ben |
#2
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How Long Should The Lights Be On?
Well you didn't give much information on your tank size and light setup and
is it a heavily planted tank ? But.... You are lighting your tank for about 16.5 hours. It is mostly recommended that light duration will be 10 up to 12 hours (some even light less). I would get a timer and start lighting for about 10 hours see how it goes and making the proper adjustments. Over light will cause algae to develop and bloom in your tank (that's only if you want to grow algae ??? Startup with 10 hours a day see how it goes and adjust as your needs. gizmo "Ben" wrote in message ... Hi All, Now that I've got my tank all set up the way I want with my massively overpowering lights (well, they would be if I had them all on at once).... How long should I leave the lights on? Can you over light a tank? Right now they're on from 7:15 am to 11:45 pm. Thanks, Ben |
#3
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How Long Should The Lights Be On?
10-12 hours... even my cobomba closes up shop for the night at about 11
hours. Equatorial tropical countries get an average 12 hours of sunlight on any given day and most plants and fish we love to cultivate in our tanks are usually native to those areas. So take your pick... 10 or 12. I'm sure others on this group can tell you all the drawbacks to leaving lights on for longer periods but I just do it for 11 hours so the fish feel more like they're in their natural environment. |
#4
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How Long Should The Lights Be On?
Surgicalrn wrote:
10-12 hours... even my cobomba closes up shop for the night at about 11 hours. Equatorial tropical countries get an average 12 hours of sunlight on any given day and most plants and fish we love to cultivate in our tanks are usually native to those areas. So take your pick... 10 or 12. I'm sure others on this group can tell you all the drawbacks to leaving lights on for longer periods but I just do it for 11 hours so the fish feel more like they're in their natural environment. that what I was thinking. I bought I timer that has up to 3 on-off cycles. I'll have to set it to go off sometime during the day. I like it on early and late as that's when I'm home to look at them. -Ben |
#5
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How Long Should The Lights Be On?
Ok. It's a 55 Gallon. I have 220W of lighting although, I never run
more than 110 of it at any time. I run the whites while I'm around and the blues while I'm out. It's a lightly planted tank. I'd sort of like the plants I have to grow before I put in anymore. I've got a sandy (not sure what kind, it's green with purple), a small banana plant, DWARF SAGITTARIA, ANACHARIS, CRYPT WENDTII and HORNWORT. I had some red foxtail but apparently that tastes very good. I do have a timer. It's set for what I put below. I plan to reduce that amount it's on thanks to the advice of the people here. -Ben gizmo wrote: Well you didn't give much information on your tank size and light setup and is it a heavily planted tank ? But.... You are lighting your tank for about 16.5 hours. It is mostly recommended that light duration will be 10 up to 12 hours (some even light less). I would get a timer and start lighting for about 10 hours see how it goes and making the proper adjustments. Over light will cause algae to develop and bloom in your tank (that's only if you want to grow algae ??? Startup with 10 hours a day see how it goes and adjust as your needs. gizmo "Ben" wrote in message ... Hi All, Now that I've got my tank all set up the way I want with my massively overpowering lights (well, they would be if I had them all on at once).... How long should I leave the lights on? Can you over light a tank? Right now they're on from 7:15 am to 11:45 pm. Thanks, Ben |
#6
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How Long Should The Lights Be On?
Thats probably not the best idea...I have never tried it myself, but i
have read that it will stress out the fish - its not natural for the sun to set in the middle of the day, and then rise again a few hours later. What i do, since i enjoy watching my fish later on at night, is i have the timer come on about noon, then stay on until about 11 or 12 at night...seems to work pretty good for me...this way, there is also a little bit of ambient light in the mornings that i like to convince myself simulates 'dawn' Anyways, i dont really know what im talking about, but thats what IIII would do. -Connor Ben wrote in message ... Surgicalrn wrote: 10-12 hours... even my cobomba closes up shop for the night at about 11 hours. Equatorial tropical countries get an average 12 hours of sunlight on any given day and most plants and fish we love to cultivate in our tanks are usually native to those areas. So take your pick... 10 or 12. I'm sure others on this group can tell you all the drawbacks to leaving lights on for longer periods but I just do it for 11 hours so the fish feel more like they're in their natural environment. that what I was thinking. I bought I timer that has up to 3 on-off cycles. I'll have to set it to go off sometime during the day. I like it on early and late as that's when I'm home to look at them. -Ben |
#7
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How Long Should The Lights Be On?
Definately leave the lights on for less time! You may not see a change
immediately in the fish but it is recommended to keep the lights on at max for 10 hours a day. If you have live plants, it is required 10 hours. Yes, you can over light a tank. The fish can get very stressed. It also raises the temp. Keep an eye on them and kill the lights earlier!! "Ben" wrote in message ... Hi All, Now that I've got my tank all set up the way I want with my massively overpowering lights (well, they would be if I had them all on at once).... How long should I leave the lights on? Can you over light a tank? Right now they're on from 7:15 am to 11:45 pm. Thanks, Ben |
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