Just went to the lfs, i was asking them about coraline algae. He was telling me about their lighting schedule. They had a 75 G tank that was fulled with so much coraline algae and algae that you could barely see through the tank. Well anyways, the fish dude was telling me about the lighting schedule. he told me to keep on the blue lights for 4-7 then at 6-9 the white lights come on and the blue ones shut off. There is one hour where both lights are on. He told me to do this everyday for 8-12 hours a day...did anyone ever hear of this to promote algae growth with a simulated lighting system. Talked to the guy for about 40 mins felt bad so bought a star fish. its dark red with black dots..any one have any clue how to care for it or waht kinda star it is? thanks in advance!!
lighting question
- Thread starter nycfatcow
- Start date
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Brenden
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sounds like a red sea star. If so it is a debris/algae eater.
Can you post a pic of the star. That will go along way in helping us give you care info. I hope it was not a linka starfish. Here is an image of one from our gallery http://www.aquariumadvice.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=9204 They come in different colors so even though the one in the pic is blue.
The normal lighting schedule for tanks is between 10-12 hours. This most closely simulates the natural enviorment. Most of us have actinic (blue) lights come on an hour or so before and go off an hour or so after the white lights. Corline growth is as much dependant upon water conditions as it is upon the lighting. Infact to much light could inhibit the nice blue and purple corline growth so many people like. Other factors include the calcium level and alkinity of the water.
The normal lighting schedule for tanks is between 10-12 hours. This most closely simulates the natural enviorment. Most of us have actinic (blue) lights come on an hour or so before and go off an hour or so after the white lights. Corline growth is as much dependant upon water conditions as it is upon the lighting. Infact to much light could inhibit the nice blue and purple corline growth so many people like. Other factors include the calcium level and alkinity of the water.
Yep thats a linka.
Linkas are very sensitive to salinity changes and should be drip acclomated for hours. As far as feeding requirements I can say off the top of my head as I have never kept one. BUt i do know they are sensitive to water condition changes.
Most of us do use timmers. It just makes live so much easier expecially since many of us want our tanks on beyond 6 or 7 in the evening. If you turn the lights on before work that is usually before 8am so your 12 hours of light will be up before 8pm and who wants to look at a dark tank all evening.
An example of a light schedule would be having actnics come on at 10am and then daylights at 11am and then have the daylights go off at 10pm and the actinics of at 11pm. To do this the actinics and daylights need to be on seperate ballasts and thus seperate timmers. Wal-mart has some nice cheap timmers for under $5.
Linkas are very sensitive to salinity changes and should be drip acclomated for hours. As far as feeding requirements I can say off the top of my head as I have never kept one. BUt i do know they are sensitive to water condition changes.
Most of us do use timmers. It just makes live so much easier expecially since many of us want our tanks on beyond 6 or 7 in the evening. If you turn the lights on before work that is usually before 8am so your 12 hours of light will be up before 8pm and who wants to look at a dark tank all evening.
An example of a light schedule would be having actnics come on at 10am and then daylights at 11am and then have the daylights go off at 10pm and the actinics of at 11pm. To do this the actinics and daylights need to be on seperate ballasts and thus seperate timmers. Wal-mart has some nice cheap timmers for under $5.
Brenden
Aquarium Advice Addict
Timers are nice but not necessary. I have no "special lighting schedule". Lights are just on in the morning and off in the afternoon and I fight to keep coralline off the tank. (currently it is winning) Water parameters are what is important to grow coralline.
i have crabs
Aquarium Advice Freak
i had one for a year untill a little accident,i never touched it just let it go around eating algae and it did quite well.
DragonForce
Aquarium Advice FINatic
As long as you don't touch the starfish with your hands, keep the water quality high, and acclimate for an hour or so you should do ok with the starfish. Atleast it's not a blue linka.
BillyZ
Aquarium Advice Addict
nycfatcow said:
They are extremely sensative.
Guess you've learned not to impulse buy at the LFS... I hope?
BillyZ
Aquarium Advice Addict
nycfatcow said:
Tell that to the starfish.
MT79
Aquarium Advice Addict
^^Exactly! Money is not what matters in this hobby, it's the animals we buy w/ it that do.
