Stretch
Aquarium Advice Activist
I have a 20w PowerGlow that is on for maybe 4 hours a day. Is this enough for them?
How much light do fish need?
- Thread starter Stretch
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tropicfishman
Aquarium Advice Addict
usually 12 hours on, 12 hours off is the standard
Fishyfanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
If there are not live plants in the tank, 4 hours is perfectly fine. Excess light can cause algae.
Stretch
Aquarium Advice Activist
Ok. The windows in my apartment never see direct sunlight, and I usually have the blinds blocking most of the light. I just wanted to know. The tank is almost completely cycled and I may add some big fish in less than a week. Can't wait! 
Thanks for all the help!
Thanks for all the help!
QTOFFER
Aquarium Advice Addict
Fish have circadian rhythms like us that help them regulate body functions and metabolism. They definitely need a few hours of light per day.
If the tank is unplanted, 4 - 8 hours is enough. Planted tanks need 8 - 12 hours. It depends on your lighting, wattage, and ambient room light.
If the tank is unplanted, 4 - 8 hours is enough. Planted tanks need 8 - 12 hours. It depends on your lighting, wattage, and ambient room light.
Hovoc
Aquarium Advice Activist
so im assuming its bad to run the light for a few hours, turn it off for a few hours and then run it again?
joannde
Aquarium Advice Addict
Actually, alot of folks with planted tanks do exactly that - they run the lights for 12 hours with a one hour break during the day - to cut down on algae. So I would say its ok to do that, unless the area is completely dark (making it look like night) - that could possibly be a bit "confusing" to their natural rhythms.
Squirt0170
Aquarium Advice Activist
I've read you don't want to put a tank next to a window or next to a draft... Other than that you should be fine
7Enigma
Aquarium Advice Addict
You should be fine with the 4hours of active light. Even though the tank lights are not on, the indirect light from the room will be more than enough to allow the fish a normal cycle. Now if you were in a room with no windows, and you kept it dark all day, then it might be a good idea to give some more light, but in most cases there is no problem.
And in my case (planted tank) I run the lights from 6:30am until 10:30am, siesta from 10:30am until 1:30pm, and then lights off at 9:30pm. I've watched the fish and its quite interesting that if it is a cloudy day (so the room is not brightly lit), they will take a nap during that break period, and my cory catfish who normally hides in a pot (until dark) comes out and hunts for food. Pretty funny to watch, but the most important thing is to be consistent. Timers are a necessity for allowing your fish to not become stressed. They will get into a regular schedule (like we all do), and prefer to stay in a schedule, even if that schedule is something other than what is considered optimum (4hours a day lighted for example).
justin
And in my case (planted tank) I run the lights from 6:30am until 10:30am, siesta
from 10:30am until 1:30pm, and then lights off at 9:30pm. I've watched the fish and its quite interesting that if it is a cloudy day (so the room is not brightly lit), they will take a nap during that break period, and my cory catfish who normally hides in a pot (until dark) comes out and hunts for food. Pretty funny to watch, but the most important thing is to be consistent. Timers are a necessity for allowing your fish to not become stressed. They will get into a regular schedule (like we all do), and prefer to stay in a schedule, even if that schedule is something other than what is considered optimum (4hours a day lighted for example).justin
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