How long should I have my light on?

[plantedtankman]

Hello all! I have a question to ask concerning how long I should have my light on. I have my lights on for 8 hours. My light fixture is made by AquaticLife. Here is some info about it:

Fixture Length: 36 in. / 91.5 cm.
Lamps included: (2) 36 in. 39W
Fixture Wattage: 78W

I am using Seachem Flourish and Natural Aquarium Vital by Marc Weiss Companies, Inc. I am planning on getting Flourish Excel to use daily. I'm also going to get a bottle of Instant Amazon from Foster and Smith. I have the following aquarium plants:

Pogostemon Helferi
Needle Leaf Ludwigia
Cardinal Plant
Amazon Swords
Moss Balls
Java Ferns
Ludwigia
Anubias Nana

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

8 hours sounds good, is it near a window or does sunlight reach it?

 

[plantedtankman]

8 hours sounds good, is it near a window or does sunlight reach it?

Two windows are somewhat close to my tank, but they don't reach the tank. As long as I have my blinds at a certain angle...

 

[KPhilly]

Seems everything is okay. Just don't want that sunlight to cause an algae bloom.

 

[plantedtankman]

Seems everything is okay. Just don't want that sunlight to cause an algae bloom.

Yeah I usually keep this room on the dark side with the exception of a few lamps.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

If its dark I would give them 9 hours a day, the extra hour wouldn't hurt

 

[jwh0818]

Yeah 8 to 9 hours is perfect. Set a timer and it will help out

 

[KPhilly]

1+

I agree with all above.

 

[plantedtankman]

Yeah 8 to 9 hours is perfect. Set a timer and it will help out

Good thing is that I already have it set haha.

 

[plantedtankman]

If its dark I would give them 9 hours a day, the extra hour wouldn't hurt

Sounds good! If I have any algae growth I'll just pick up some Otos or limit the light back to 8.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Yea there you go, just play with it, I've sparked a diatom bloom in my tank because I left my lights on from 9:am to 12:am

 

[jwh0818]

Yea there you go, just play with it, I've sparked a diatom bloom in my tank because I left my lights on from 9:am to 12:am

o_0 that's quite some time!

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

o_0 that's quite some time!

I know! That is, 15 hours a day, that's how much I'm awake so that's how much I used to leave it on, now it's 8 hours

 

[jwh0818]

I know! That is, 15 hours a day, that's how much I'm awake so that's how much I used to leave it on, now it's 8 hours

Yeah I get up every day at 6 am and dont goto bed till 12 to 1 am. I dont know how I do it. I would kill plants if they took that schedule

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Yea it's pretty hard but you gotta stick to your plants needs