Lighting help

[leftyfish]

Read on here awhile back to do lights on and off for four hours to get rid of algae growth. I did that and algae is gone. Do I always do this or can I adjust the lighting to be on more? Also, I have it on 4 off 4 on 4 then off 12.

Thanks!

 

[Fishkeeper26]

If you keep that you shouldn't have algae growth. However if you switch back to your other lighting algae may develop. I just keep the 4/4/4 on

 

[leftyfish]

Here's a fts!

 

[uh.oh...]

i did it for awhile, but my lights are very old. The algae went away, but so did a lot of my plants. I personally would only use the measure as a stop gap for some serious algae problems. My personal opinion is that a fish tank should mimic the fish's natural environment. Things outside of that norm can cause the fish stress, and stressed fish get sick a lot easier. Why do it if it doesn't occur naturally?
The 4 on, 4 off, 4 on, 8 off cycle doesn't really give you that much light, and if that's a biocube you're probably running dinky little Compact Fls. anyways. I wish they'd include some better lighting in those things, T5 at least. So, what I meant to say is that your plants could use more light from Compact Fl. than what they provide in pars in just 8 hours. If you have metal halides, then by all means give less light

 

[leftyfish]

Sorry, a little more info...my fixture is a 6 light nova pro extreme with 3 12K and 3 pink freshwater lights. I only run 2 lights though, one pink one 12k. I have had growth with the 4 on 4 off method, just was wondering if I can enjoy the tank more without risking algae growth. No fish deaths since starting, but they do get all crazy when the lights come one again. I've been doing that for about 2 months now. I also do CO2, but it may go a week or so before I realize it has stopped (diy kit).

 

[uh.oh...]

Ahhh, interesting! Ok, so my guess is that you had some BBA (black beard algae). If its wasn't than you can ignore my sentiments. BBA primarily is evidence of unstable Co2 levels. On the other hand, if you have too few plants to absorb nutrients, and your water saturated with excess nutrients and your light is really high, algae blooms! So my questions: What size tank you do have, and why did you go with 12k (as opposed to 6.7k or 10k) for your freshwater tank? How do you plan to regulate your Co2 so the incredibly high amount of light that you run won't cause another algae bloom?

As for enjoying the tank, I think you'd be fine running a 12 hour day, or a little more, and the leaving the lights off while you sleep. Fish aren't from another planet, they're all used to the same days we are. They, like us, won't die from having strange sleep cycles, but how would you feel if you slept every day from 12-4, then worked out till 8, then when back to sleep for 8 hours, then woke back up at 8, worked till 12, and so on? But I'm just trying to sway your opinion, i don't have proof that it hurts the fish.

 

[leftyfish]

Ahhh, interesting! Ok, so my guess is that you had some BBA (black beard algae). If its wasn't than you can ignore my sentiments. BBA primarily is evidence of unstable Co2 levels. On the other hand, if you have too few plants to absorb nutrients, and your water saturated with excess nutrients and your light is really high, algae blooms! So my questions: What size tank you do have, and why did you go with 12k (as opposed to 6.7k or 10k) for your freshwater tank? How do you plan to regulate your Co2 so the incredibly high amount of light that you run won't cause another algae bloom?

As for enjoying the tank, I think you'd be fine running a 12 hour day, or a little more, and the leaving the lights off while you sleep. Fish aren't from another planet, they're all used to the same days we are. They, like us, won't die from having strange sleep cycles, but how would you feel if you slept every day from 12-4, then worked out till 8, then when back to sleep for 8 hours, then woke back up at 8, worked till 12, and so on? But I'm just trying to sway your opinion, i don't have proof that it hurts the fish.

Thanks again for the info, let's see...I started CO2 after the algae issue and the new light cycle. The algae was green and I think there was also a stringy green algae? My little car in there was completely covered in green stringy algae. I use the 12k merely because that is what came with the light, lol. I am not sure with the odd bulb size if I could get a lower than 10k with it. I use the 12k to balance the color out mainly as the pink alone is not very nice to look at. I really want to run the light more normal, but was worried about the algae. So I guess what your saying is I can run it more and just see. Although the fish are fine, they seem a little nerotic when the light comes back on, expecting me to feed them again, etc. Perhaps if I start a 6 hour cycle and slowly build up without turning them on and off? I can always go back if it doesn't work, but the 4/4/4 worked so good at getting rid of the algae, I wasn't sure if others always kept it that way or only to rid the tank of algae.

Tank is 29G biocube, plants are java moss, java fern, microsword, I hope to add some higher light plants too.

If I get black alagae, now I will know why, lol!

 

[jeffp]

you're running 6 lights on your tank? are all of the lights on all the time? that seems excessive. reducing the amount of lights might let you keep the lights on longer

 

[leftyfish]

you're running 6 lights on your tank? are all of the lights on all the time? that seems excessive. reducing the amount of lights might let you keep the lights on longer

No, as I stated only 2 lights are run on the fixture.