How long should i run my lights?

[kaz]

I'm currently everyday for 12 hours is this to much?

 

[JDogg]

are you having problems? algae? deficiencies?

most people run there lights from 10-12 hours per day... i prefer 10

 

[kaz]

I have a little bit of green algae or diatoms small spots around the glass the ottos not doing a great job nothing major, I did have in the past potassium def so I now drop kent potassium drops every week.

 

[Zezmo]

If it is not broke don't fix it. That said, 10 hours may slow your algae some without affecting the plants.

 

[Glenc]

I used to run 12 hours just so I could get a few more hours staring at my tanks. I was getting quite a bit of green spot on the glass and plant leaves. By reducing the lighting to ten hours, the green spot has reseeded and the plants are still doing just as well.

 

[newfound77951]

Just to split the difference, I'm at 11 hours on my 55. On my little 2 gallon with a 10 watt bulb I had to cut the light down to 6 or 7 hours to keep the algae in control.

If you're getting a lot of green spot check your phosphate levels...when I start getting spots, it usually means my phosphate is bottoming out.

 

[Glenc]

Thanks newfound, I have done and still do the upped P04 thing, P04 is never under 1ppm in my tanks, never higher than 2, 2.5. it works great, just takes to long! Get faster results with the upped P04 and reduced light time, though in the end it all probably works out the same! You'd think I would have learned to be patient by now, NOT!

 

[kaz]

Just to split the difference, I'm at 11 hours on my 55. On my little 2 gallon with a 10 watt bulb I had to cut the light down to 6 or 7 hours to keep the algae in control.

If you're getting a lot of green spot check your phosphate levels...when I start getting spots, it usually means my phosphate is bottoming out.

does bottoming out mean low or high?
last time I checked it was at 1.0

 

[SparKy697]

I would say that bottoming out would mean low or even zero.

 

[JDogg]

I would say that bottoming out would mean low or even zero.

exactly