lighting cycle for fuge

[steve r]

i am going to fire up my HOB fuge today. i have read few things about lighting your fuge opposite times as your main tank to help maintain proper ph. i am not sure about how this works. does anyone here have suggestions? should i just leave it on 24x7. it is a 12 x 12 x 4 fuge with a 13w 7100k CF light over it

thanks as always
steve r

[fishfreek]

I would not light it 24x7. The reason is you may end having your macro algae go sexual on you causing problems with water fouling. The concept of reverse lighting is to help balance the PH. You can simply put the light on its own timer and have the timer set to turn on around the same time the tank lights go out. With this being a hang on fuge there is bound to be some light bleed into the tank. I guess this CF light is on legs that sits above the top of the regular tank? If this is the case then you may just want to light it with the same or simular light cycle as the main tank.

[steve r]

i actually have a small single 13watt CF that is the exact size of the HOB fuge. my regular tank lights are 130 watts and yes they are on legs. by placing the 13 watt right on top of the fuge most of the light goes right in the fuge. i will try the opposite cycle. my timer has plugs that go on when the others go off.

thanks for the info
steve r

[jaiden]

Opposite cycle is good. from what I hear 24h light CAUSES certain algae to go sexual. Cheato doesn't go sexual, also from what I hear.

you can use a black piece of fabric or something between the fuge and tank to block out the light.

I have no firsthand experience though

[steve r]

i was going to do the black fabric idea. thanks for the thoughts

steve r

[fishman]

I thought I heard you leave the lights on all the time in order for macro not to go sexual? I have had macro in my fuge for 2 months now with the light on 24/7...so far so good...let me know if this is not the case?

[jaiden]

fishman, that's what I've heard too for calupera. AFAIK, cheato does not go sexual

[steve r]

so to be clear, if i use calupera i should leave the lights on 24-7.

thanks
steve r

[fishman]

I have had calupera for 2-3 months and keep the lights on 24/7...no ill effects in my tank.

[ellisz]

I have a mixture of cheato and feather and I have it on a reverse set up. Been fine for 6 months.

[austinsdad]

I had to give up on the idea of alternate (to my main) lighting for my HOB. Way too much light in the main.

[indy]

Of course it depends on what you're using your hob for. If it's for an algae filter, than I'd say 24-7 is the way to go. If you're using it as an acutal 'fuge to build up pod populations etc. I think reverse photoperiod is the way to go. Since the bugs are nocturnal by nature I believe they will breed better if they can be in the dark some times.

On my last tank I had caul. lit 24-7 and it grew very well and never went sexual with the exception of the week I went to reverse photoperiod. It went sexual in about 2 days. In my new I have some caul. growing in my main with 12/12 photoperiods. It so far has shown no signs of going sexual. So in my case it may have been the change in lighting that set it off.

[seaham358]

Grape caluerpa is the worst, I had it go sexual in my tank 3 times while running my lights for 14 hrs. I went 24/7 and took out the grape and went with a mexicana and cheato and have not problems. I run my other fuge for around 13 hours with a blade caluerpa and have no problems with it going sexual.

[austinsdad]

What does caluerpa look like when it goes asexual? Problem?

[fishman]

Not to hijack, but I think this would be beneficial to know as well in this thread...how much and what type of lighting do you all use for fuges as I am having issues with my macro growing....I have a 20 watt bulb over mine....its growing but slow...

[austinsdad]

Steve and Ellisz, I did start a new thread with the asexual question.

[austinsdad]

I menat to say Steve and Fishman.