Lighting

[Marshy]

How long do you keep your tank lit for?

 

[mfdrookie516]

There are a lot of factors involved... Reef? Planted? Fish only?

 

[Marshy]

Mine is a FW tank with fake plants. I have 7 tiger barbs and 1 albino algae eater.

I'm asking because I had my light on from when I awoke and turned it off when I went to sleep.
I kept this up until my lfs told me I should only have the light on for a maximum of 5 hours a day.
But since I started this my tigers seem to lose their colours as soon as the light goes on and they seem to become shy.
Any ideas?

 

[ShadoeFox]

I have mine on 12 hour timered cycles. Fish live on the same planet we do, so about half the day is sunny for them too. Without plants I might do ten to keep algae down but five seems nuts

 

[fort384]

I run my high light heavily planted tanks 9 hours a day.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Before I had plants, my tanks were lit only when feeding... so about 15 minutes every other day or so. With my planted tanks, my lights are on 7.5 hours on a timer.

 

[Marshy]

Thanks folks, I'm beginning to think the guy at the shop doesn't know as much as he makes out he does.
I thought 5 hours was a bit daft. I know I was probably giving them too much having the lights on all day.

Do you think they're losing they're colour for this reason? They seem fine when the light is off.

 

[ShadoeFox]

Not sure but it's ready enough to give them longer periods of light and see if out comes back

 

[mfdrookie516]

Fish don't need lights... Often, in the deep dark bottoms of lakes and rivers, there is very minmal lighting. Ambient room light is sufficient. You only need the lights to see the fish.

 

[Marshy]

Yh I think I will as of tomorrow.
Thanks again.

 

[barterking85]

i turn mine on when i get up and off when i go to bed its for your satisfaction unless its a planted tank