Lighting Schedule.

[EdgarMedina1010]

I'm just looking for ideas on how to set my light timer....Right now its on from 11:00-10:00 its medium-planted. I want to keep it on until 10:00 p.m. I really dont care what time it turns on. any ideas??

[hc8719]

10pm is kinda late, fish need to sleep, especially with it getting dark at like 8pm

unless you have special plants, you dont need a light really,

what do you got?

[EdgarMedina1010]

I have anacharis,java moss,Dwarf Hygrophila
(Hygrophila polysperma),Long Beach primrose
(Ludwigia brevipes), cabomba,dwarf chain swords.....and I think thats about it. and I know 10 its late but they get 12 hours of sleep....

[JustOneMore20]

I don't think fish have a sense of time. They have a sleep/wake cycle but I don't think time of day has anything to do with it. If you want it to go off at 10pm, then I'd set it to come on around 10am (for 12 hours) or 12pm(for 10 hours). They will still have a sleep/wake cycle because of it going dark in the tank and then the lights coming on. I have never heard that the lights should go along with daylight times....correct me someone if I'm totally wrong though. I've just never heard that. I'm sure you want to enjoy your fish while you are home.

I have my lights set from 10am to 8pm.....because I want to be able to enjoy them when I come home.

As long as you aren't having any algae problems with your current light cycle, then you could just leave it like it is. 11 hours is fine for the plants and fish. Some people have a period during the day that the lights go out, but its not necessary.

unless you have special plants, you dont need a light really,

If you keep any live plants you need some sort of lighting over the tank. Direct sunlight isn't good enough because it can create alot of algae. With some extremely low light plants, they can be grown with sunlight, but its not recommended. Its also good to have a light over the tank for the fish. Some people have their tanks in parts of the house that don't get alot of light, so a light fixture is needed to give the fish a sleep/wake cycle.

[EdgarMedina1010]

Im not having any kind of problems anymore but I just got rid of Black Brush Algae and Blue Green Algae....

[JustOneMore20]

Well Blue-green algae or Cyanobacteria is usually caused by low nitrates, not always the lighting. I can't remember if BBA is caused by lighting...I don't think it is. You can just leave the lighting like it is if it works for you.

Seems like you have a nice tank by your plant selection. I think your current lighting schedule is fine.

[EdgarMedina1010]

ok thanks...

[mr funktastic]

u may want to put a break in the lighting. mine turn on at 9-12 then off till 1:30 and then back on untill 11. the break in light will help prevent algea from forming.

[JRagg]

I agree, your lighting time is fine. Mine come on at 7am and off at noon so that I can see them before I go to work in the morning, and then I'm on from 2:30 to 9:30 so that I can enjoy them in the evening.

Like Mr. Funktastic said, there is reasearch which suggests breaking the cycle for about an hour in the middle of the day won't upset the plants, but will help keep algae at bay. Algae needs a more constant source of lighting.

[EdgarMedina1010]

ok i will set it up to go ON at 10:00 a.m. and OFF from 2:00 pm. to 3:00 pm and then ON until 10pm.