I am new to this newsgroup, so please bear with me.
I am lighting my planted aquarium with power compact lights on a timer.
My question is this: If I want to have the lights on in the morning
and in the evening, is it okay if I have the lights off for a few hours
in the middle of the day? For example, it is my understanding that 12
hours/day of light is best for plants, is it okay to have the lights on
from 7am-12pm then on from 3pm-10pm? This gives 12hours/day, but it is
broken up. Is this okay, or is it best to simply have them on for
12-hours in a row

Jason Greene

I do this successfully with a 29 gal and a 75 gal. The cycle goes like
this. On at 6:30 a.m. and off at 11 a.m. back on at 3:00 p.m. and off at
10p.m. Works great and I get to see the lighted tank for the times that I'm
home. It also helps during the hot summers in the heat of the
afternoon...(if that affects you in your area) I think of it as similar to
the daily thunder storms in the tropics that last througout the afternoon.
The plants and fish love it!

Djay


"jgreene" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am new to this newsgroup, so please bear with me.
I am lighting my planted aquarium with power compact lights on a timer.
My question is this: If I want to have the lights on in the morning
and in the evening, is it okay if I have the lights off for a few hours
in the middle of the day? For example, it is my understanding that 12
hours/day of light is best for plants, is it okay to have the lights on
from 7am-12pm then on from 3pm-10pm? This gives 12hours/day, but it is
broken up. Is this okay, or is it best to simply have them on for
12-hours in a row

Jason Greene

On Wed, 04 May 2005 02:26:51 GMT, "djay" wrote:

I do this successfully with a 29 gal and a 75 gal. The cycle goes like
this. On at 6:30 a.m. and off at 11 a.m. back on at 3:00 p.m. and off at
10p.m. Works great and I get to see the lighted tank for the times that I'm
home. It also helps during the hot summers in the heat of the
afternoon...(if that affects you in your area) I think of it as similar to
the daily thunder storms in the tropics that last througout the afternoon.
The plants and fish love it!

Djay


"jgreene" wrote in message
roups.com...
I am new to this newsgroup, so please bear with me.
I am lighting my planted aquarium with power compact lights on a timer.
My question is this: If I want to have the lights on in the morning
and in the evening, is it okay if I have the lights off for a few hours
in the middle of the day? For example, it is my understanding that 12
hours/day of light is best for plants, is it okay to have the lights on
from 7am-12pm then on from 3pm-10pm? This gives 12hours/day, but it is
broken up. Is this okay, or is it best to simply have them on for
12-hours in a row

Jason Greene


Like Djay, I too use two on cycles, been doing so for almost 2 years
with 5 tanks, all planted. I picked 1pm to 3pm for the off cycle as I
often take a nap after lunch. I don't think the fish sleep, when the
light comes on at 3 pm they seem quite active whereas when the light
comes on in the morning the lazys seem to take an hour or so to get
active.

dick

Dang, I just run to the shop and got myself a timer as well and get
back to realise that it only works on hourly basis... can't set it up
to start/stop at half hours. I am going to return it and exchange for
something else.
Darn,I hate to waste my time like this.

On 4 May 2005 13:33:31 -0700, "
wrote:

Dang, I just run to the shop and got myself a timer as well and get
back to realise that it only works on hourly basis... can't set it up
to start/stop at half hours. I am going to return it and exchange for
something else.
Darn,I hate to waste my time like this.

Since I have 5 tanks, I needed something more elaborite. I use an
X-10 system. It includes a clock with 4 programmable switches and a
remote switch for each tank. (I already was using X-10 equipment to
control my grass sprinklers, it is programmed through a computer
program, also I have many lights throughout the house that are
remotely controled by wireless hand held controllers). If you want
flexibility and expandability do a search for X-10.

dick