good time frame for lighting?

[papa_bear_21]

I have a 29g tank, been up and running now for 4 weeks, stocked with 4 platy's since its start, and 8 tetra added a week ago. Since its startup, I've had the florescent light on 24/7, until a few days ago after reading on here about turning the lights off. Should I turn the hood light off at night? Also, I have 3 "spot lights" temporary mounted at the top, which will be relocated duing the next PWC to the gravel level. one will be mounted under the waterfall decoration (green light pointed up into the bubbles) and 2 blues mounted in the gravel in 2 corners of the tank. Would it be ok to run these at nite in place of the hood light? the colors set the fish off nicely, and I intend to add 2 red lights to finish it off...

Thanks for the help in advance,

Bear

 

[rich311k]

8 hours is more than enough of a lighting period for a non planted tank. Get yourself a timer so you don't even have to think about it.

 

[papa_bear_21]

would it hurt the fish with running the blues/green/reds at nite? cuz those lights only show up good enough during the day, but look awesome at night

 

[CaysE]

I would leave just the blue spotlight on at night. You could set up a dual timer so that all the lights are on for 8 hours and the other spotlights are on for 14 hours or so. This would leave the blue one on all the time.