Lighting timer question

[mikeybabs]

Hi guys. In efforts to save electricity and cut back on algae, as well as keeping my aquarium lit during the hours im home automatically, I was wondering the following: I have 3 aquariums with 4 lights total. I am gone to work from 2:15 pm to 11:30 pm 5 days a week. I googled around and saw that fish should have their lights on for 8-12 hours a day. I have no live plants in my tank. I was wondering if I can split the 8-12 hours a day into 2 mini day night cycles. For example leaving it on in the morning for 4-6 hours and turn it off while I'm at work then turning it back on for 4-6 hours for a total of 8-12 hours a day... Is this bad for the fish? Should the fish have one consistent day and night? I want to do: 9am - 2pm on 2pm - 9pm off 9pm - 2am on 2am - 9am off And repeat. This works best with my schedule as sometimes I get out of work early at 9pm. Thanks for any recommendations and suggestions. - mike

 

[mfdrookie516]

Wherever you read that would not be a good source for future reference. Fish do not need light. Unless you're in a dungeon with no ambient light, you don't have to turn the aquarium light on except when you want to see them. I never turned the lights on in my 150 mbuna tank unless I was feeding them (once every 2-3 days) or taking pics... and occasionally when people would come over. So, to save energy, just turn them on when you want to.

 

[mikeybabs]

Thanks for the reply. That's good to know! I guess I'll stop leaving the light on while I'm at work. I attached a pic of my tanks btw.

Thx again

Ps. You've been very helpful so far... I thought I'd fill you in with my cichlid tank. I have 12 yellow labs in the 40 gallon long tank now (4 ft long) and they are all doing well. Is this too many? I think they average 4" right? 12x4=36... also I added them 6 at a time spaces out. The tank went into a mini cycle but 2-3 days later it was cycled again...

I got 12 of them for $45 from the local pet store. Good deal? Most are hybrid tho and a couple are a bit faded. Considering returning the faded ones for more colorful ones. Do they start breeding at 2"? They're 1.5" now.
Thx rookie!

 

[mfdrookie516]

that sounds fine. they'll get a little bigger than 4", but as long as you stay on top of water changes, you shouldn't have any issues.

 

[mikeybabs]

Thanks again. Someone posted:


"Most species require day and night in a cycle similar to the wild if they are to remain healthy. There are alot of reasons, but here's the biggies:

It regulates their metabolism
It establishes a sleep/wake cycle
It provides vitamins & nutrients
It extablishes the cycle for beneficial bacteria
It establishes algae which some species eat"

This all doesn't matter?

 

[mfdrookie516]

My fish were all healthy. My experience says otherwise.

 

[Amicus]

What about keeping up on algae growth for my pleco? Is ambient light enough during the day?