How many hours a day do you light your tank?

[TomK2]

My unplanted tank is in a basement room with no external light. All light to the tank must be provided. My lfs recommended only 4 or 5 hours per day to cut down on the algae. I can time the light for the 5 hours when I am at home to see the tank. Somehow this just doesn't seem correct, and I am currntly using 7 hours of tank light, but was going to increase it to 12 hurs. What do you think?

 

[mayreee]

I have mine on about 10 hours a day. If I were you that is the way I would go.

 

[FawnN]

It's recommended not to have your light on more then 10-12 hours. Get a timer for your lights.

I have lots of plants so I have mine go on at 10am and have it turned off at 9pm. If you happen to get some algae, then get an algae eater.

You should keep your lights on a constant schedule and let your fish sleep when you go to bed.

 

[Logan Zoo]

Hi Tom, Both of our tanks are planted but in the past we have had tanks that were not planted and have always lighted them for 10-12 hours per day. We have never had an algae problem. What kind of fish are in the tank? I can't imagine many species being happy in the dark 17 hours a day. I would turn on the light!

Kevin

 

[gheitman]

I have timers on most of my tanks and manually turn on the rest. I turn the lights on just after 7 a.m. and turn them off just after 6 p.m. That way I can feed my fish before I go to work and again after I come home. Every tank I have, except for my quarantine tank, is planted. I don't have a real algae problem now but I am better at controlling nutrients in the water than I used to be.

 

[amosf]

I run about 12-14 hours with no algea problems. The plants seem to eat everything and leave little for the algea I suppose.

 

[TomK2]

Thanks for the input. LFS employee insisted that fish didn't care how much light they got, but I found it hard to believe. I never ran a tank without at least 10 hours of light before.

Now, what about startling the fish when the timer abruptly clicks on the flourescent lights? Remember, this tank is in the basement with no windows, so there is zero daylight to gradually increase the light levels before the tank light comes on.

 

[Dragonchild85]

TomK2: I have my tank set on a timer to come on at 9:30 am (I can feed and say hi before work) and set to go off at 9:30 pm (so I can feed, say night and watch them for about 10 minutes after I get home from work), so they have 12 hours of light. I have no plants, and no algae except where the pleco and shrimp can't reach.

As for startling the fish, my platies and betta have learned that lights on=human interaction and FOOD!! I'm not sure what zero light would do...maybe you can get a nightlight to hook up? Either leave that on all night or set that on a timer too...to click on 5 minutes before and off 5 minutes later?

 

[shawmutt]

My planted tank gets 10 hours, my unplanted tank gets 12. You definitely want to get a timer, as fish are creatures of habit and like the same routine.

Are you having a problem with algae? What kind? If it's blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, then it can thrive even under minimal light conditions. Cyanobacteria coats everything in slimy sheets. If this is what you have, you may need to dose your tank with erythromycin to get rid of it (it's available under the brand name "Maracyn" in a lfs--it will show erythromycin as the active ingredient).

 

[TomK2]

As for startling the fish, my platies and betta have learned that lights on=human interaction and FOOD!! I'm not sure what zero light would do...maybe you can get a nightlight to hook up? Either leave that on all night or set that on a timer too...to click on 5 minutes before and off 5 minutes later?

I had thought of that, but the room is severely plug challenged. I supposed I could squeeze one more device in. Right now with only danios and platies its not a problem. I was more concerned when I add the larger fish, like angels and parrots.
Thanks.

 

[TomK2]

Are you having a problem with algae? What kind?

No algae problem yet. LFS employee suggested little light to prevent it. But if that just means selecting for low light algae instead, what do I gain? I was rather skepticle about the little light advice. I'll bump the timer up to 10 hours, maybe even 12 hrs. Wont erythromycin hurt the biologic filter bacteria?
Thanks

 

[Wolfspyder]

I have mine 12 hours with a timer. If you have algae problems, a book I read about aquatic plants suggested 6 hours on then 2 hours off and 6 hours on again.

 

[Wanderer]

I've definitely noticed that my fish have learned when the lights come on it's food time and they go nuts. The tank is in a room that gets pently of natural light during the day but the sun doesn't directly hit it. So basically I only use the light to feed and to watch them or show them off, it's been working well like that so far so I hope that's alright to do.

 

[shawmutt]

Wont erythromycin hurt the biologic filter bacteria?

I've used it four times so far without any spikes in ammonia.