How long for lights??

[maestromad]

Am wondering how long and what time you all have your lights on in your tanks.
I'm currently in a black out to try and rid my tank of alge but have been having the light on from 10-10
I'd like the lights on in the evening so I cn enjoy my fish but don't have the option of only turning one bulb on.
Happy new year!

 

[daileene]

I had mine from 9AM to 5PM. yes, 10-10 will really make the algae happy. You can be safe having your lights on from 8 hours to 10. More than that and the algae will really overtake your tank. Or you can do photoperiods. You can have it on maybe from 9AM to 1PM then black out then turn it back on from 6PM to 10PM. Then black out again. You really need the timer for this so your timings will not be off balance.

 

[Convict2161]

For me I do this and I understand others may not have the options I have. I have a digital timer built into the light.

2-4pm my actinic lights turn on

4-10pm is my actinic as well as my daylights

10-11:30pm back to actinic

11:30pm-3am moonlights.

3am total darkness

Then just natural light until 2pm when light cycle begins again.

Again I'm lucky enough to have all this built into my fixture. I went overboard however and have a light that is really unnecessary for my tank and setup but I liked the light and that's all that matters.

Happy New Year!!

 

[maestromad]

Thanks guys I have a timer and would like to be able to hve a day and night setting however my light setup doesn't allow for this.
Do you think it would be ok to have the lights on from say 1pm-9pm or would my little darlings and the plants need some lighting during the day??

 

[daileene]

hi again. if you have a timer, then you can do the day and night setting. when you look at your timer, there are different, what you might call it, knobs? tips? for all the hours, right?

just push the knobs/tips down on the hours you want the lights to turn on during the day and raise the rest of the knobs/tips so the light will be turned off, then push more knobs/tips during the night so it will be turned on then. raise the rest of the tips for blackout again. that way, it is a win win situation. your darlings and plants can have some light in the daytime, and you can view them in the nighttime. without the algaes being happy. it's all about the timer. it's a very handy thing to have.

 

[Convict2161]

Thanks guys I have a timer and would like to be able to hve a day and night setting however my light setup doesn't allow for this.
Do you think it would be ok to have the lights on from say 1pm-9pm or would my little darlings and the plants need some lighting during the day??

Well your getting your 8 hours of light and what kind of plants. I'm new to this plant thing but I do have 14 Anubias and 4 java fern in my tank. And well I gave you my light setup. What kind of light fixture are you using? Bulbs etc...

 

[maestromad]

I have some baby tears (when my corys don't dig them up) and some rountudaflora and crypts. My lights are interpret 24" 18w daylight tropical x2.
I hve a digital timer so can set whatever pattern I like!

 

[maestromad]

Sorry when I said night setting I meant moonlight ones I've seen some tanks with them and they are lovely!

 

[Convict2161]

Nice you have the digital timer! Skies the limit my friend. Remember fish don't need light but your plants do. I use to keep my lights off all the time except when I sat down and wanted to watch them. Now with all Anubias and java fern although there very hardy plants they still need light so I set up the timer.

Goody luck!

 

[daileene]

okay, well, you can do the same thing as convict is doing. just play with your digital timer and you are all set. moonlight ones will not be beneficial for plants though so, just for you to think about when you do your settings. just make sure that your plants are getting at least 8-10 hours of daylight lights, then the rest you can play with your moonlight. you can separate those light in any time of the day through your digital timer.

 

[daileene]

like convict says, sky is the limit with your moonlight....

 

[maestromad]

Thanks guys!! I'll prob do 1-9 with my lighting so I cn watch them in the evenings. Just peeked under my blanket though and have spotted 3 snails in my tank!!! Next problem lol