Ideal photoperiod (low tech betta/planted)

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Reykur

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Feb 12, 2017
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Anyone ever experiment with different photoperiods? I have 1 5400k 10w light on a 5 gallon planted tank. I run my light from 12p to 8p and thus far haven't had any algae issues, and I've had pretty steady and healthy plant growth so far. I have java fern and moss as well as hornwort and microswords, the microswords haven't been doing that great, a lot of melt and dead strands, but the parts that are looking healthy and have new growth look good.
I intend to put a betta in the tank, and I'm wondering if anyone knows of a good photoperiod for healthy fish. I know they appreciate a day night cycle, and it changes melatonin production and mating habits in fish like it does for mammals, but I'm going to have 1 male, and no females. I'm mainly concerned about what will be healthiest for the fish.
 
I'd think noon to 8 would be fine.

My betta is in a room that gets a little ambient light all day, and overhead room light after dark, then full dark at bed time. His tank light is on for 7 hours from 9 to 4. No problems at all.
 
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Yup! Though it's still in pots while I figure out whether I really want to go all-in on dirt.
 
This was just my experience, but I found hydra and detritus inside of rock wool in pots. I'm not saying they come with them or cause them, but they are a place for those buggers to hide.
Stripping rock wool can be difficult to do safely depending on the plants root system, but I recommend it.
Planting in substrate came be difficult with some plants. With species that like to be rooted in substrate, but don't take easily, you can fashion a paperclip into a v shape, then bend the legs in half like knees and it'll act like an anchor for your rooting plants. Otherwise fishing line ftw when attaching stuff like java fern that doesn't do as well (or will die) if planted in substrate.
It makes the tank look a lot nicer too, a bit more work, but well worth it imo.
 
Oh, yeah, they're going to be planted in *something*, I just keep bobbling back and forth between soil and sand, and there's been other life happening, and with one thing and another, the pots remain.
 
Make sure also to research the plants so you know which to plant into your substrate and which to tie to rocks or wood or leave floating.
Life happens, whenever you find yourself with a free hour and you don't want to watch tv or whatever you do to kill time, that's the best time I've found to do any aquarium plant keeping. Doing it properly takes some extra time so you can be careful not to damage the plant. Otherwise you don't really even need to, just from my experience I've talked myself out of doing it.
 
Oh, and soil vs sand vs stratum:
Decide what color you want, from the choices you're looking at brown, black, tan, white and some others. Then it's just a matter of what suits your budget and what you like best. If the tank is established and you are going to add it in, I'd recommend removing everything from the tank, including water down to about an inch or 2 first. Probably self explanatory but hey worth noting imo.
 
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