New light, night time question.

[KreativJustin]

Hello everyone (most likely Colin),

I just ordered a new light that should be brighter than the last one I was using. I'm having slow growth from my plants, so I'm going to try to increase the light intensity. The light I bought has a dimming function, so if it ends up causing algae I can turn it down. My last one did not, so that is a big bonus. Plus this has a 15 minute gradual light increase and decrease function at the beginning and end of the time cycle.

My question though:
Do colored night lights cause algae at all?

The one I bought has built in night time function, and I was planning on setting to purple. I do not want to use it if it causes algae, because I was getting a tiny bit before and have it under control now.

 

[Aiken Drum]

I set the blue light to 5% overnight. Either turn the lights off overnight or have them on a really low setting to mimic moonlight.

The coloured lights are such low intensity and narrow wavelength they will offer practically zero benefit to plant growth and will cause no algae growth.

 

[KreativJustin]

I set the blue light to 5% overnight. Either turn the lights off overnight or have them on a really low setting to mimic moonlight.

The coloured lights are such low intensity and narrow wavelength they will offer practically zero benefit to plant growth and will cause no algae growth.

I'm not sure if I can dim the night settings (colored settings) I know I can with the white light during day. I was going to use the purple just out of the coolness of it and to make a really great night light for in the morning, so I will be able to see my tank while I drink my coffee. I used to have one on my tank way about 6+ years ago, I just never had live plants due to it being a saltwater tank, and I used it to pop the colors at night and see all the little bugs and whatnot.

Are there any adverse effects to me leaving my purple light setting at 100% at night?

Thanks for your help Aiken.

 

[Aiken Drum]

I wouldnt use the coloured lights overnight unless you can lower them right down to nearly off. Maybe if its a genuine night setting its ok. Otherwise just turn them off. If they can be programmed or you are planning on manually controlling them maybe something like this.

4 hours blue light.
8 hours white light.
4 hours blue light.
8 hours off.

What light fitting do you have?

 

[KreativJustin]

I wouldnt use the coloured lights overnight unless you can lower them right down to nearly off. Maybe if its a genuine night setting its ok. Otherwise just turn them off. If they can be programmed or you are planning on manually controlling them maybe something like this.

4 hours blue light.
8 hours white light.
4 hours blue light.
8 hours off.

What light fitting do you have?

This is the new light: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086SVC2FH?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

My son has the 24" version of the hygger. I'm currently using 2x 24" leds (aquaneat - on amazon). His compared to mine was significantly brighter, that is why I ordered this new one (plus it goes all the way across, that will be nice). I don't believe you can program that many different times, just day and night on the hygger.

May I ask why no light would be better if it doesn't hurt (algae) or help (plants) at all? Seems redundant for them to be selling them on every decent aquarium light if they should not be used. Please do not take this as a battle or argument, I am honestly curious.

 

[KreativJustin]

Actually I do think there is 8 times that you can control on there. Not 100% what that means or how to do it, on the boys, he just uses the daylight setting and nothing for night. Its in his room, so he doesn't want the light at night. But when I do the standard programming for him, it usually just goes through the day & night times. I think you have to hold a special button to get into the deeper controlling, however, these reset during power outage. I really do not think I'm going to be doing the special settings.

 

[Aiken Drum]

I think if you programmed it up how it shows on the link you provided it would probably be ok.

If i left my blue LED on full all night it would disrupt the fishes sleep patterns. They do need darkness, my blue light at 5% gives a very low level of light that such that they can sleep but i can just about see the fish if i get right up close. If its a genuine moonlight setting that is already very low, and it gives enough darkness, then its fine use it. But if you can still clearly see fish in the tank its too bright to use overnight and i would make sure its off for 8 hours a day. The blue light on my other tank isnt adjustable so i just turn them off. In fact on that tank i dont have the RGB LEDs on at all and just have the white on and off.

Turn off the room lights, darken the room, and just put the moonlight on. Show us a photo so we can see how bright the blue is.

 

[KreativJustin]

I think if you programmed it up how it shows on the link you provided it would probably be ok.

If i left my blue LED on full all night it would disrupt the fishes sleep patterns. They do need darkness, my blue light at 5% gives a very low level of light that such that they can sleep but i can just about see the fish if i get right up close. If its a genuine moonlight setting that is already very low, and it gives enough darkness, then its fine use it. But if you can still clearly see fish in the tank its too bright to use overnight and i would make sure its off for 8 hours a day. The blue light on my other tank isnt adjustable so i just turn them off. In fact on that tank i dont have the RGB LEDs on at all and just have the white on and off.

Turn off the room lights, darken the room, and just put the moonlight on. Show us a photo so we can see how bright the blue is.

They delivered today, I will install this evening. I will upload a pic in the morning. The lights go on at noon and off at 8:30. I get up for work at 4:30, so technically there could be a large window where the lights are off. It gets morning light when the sun goes up, not a lot, but enough to be able to see the fish if you get close.

So I could potentially shut it off at 8:30, and start the color cycle at 4:30 in the morning until noon when the lights would turn back on. That would be an 8 hour window of dark.

 

[Aiken Drum]

A transition period is always good between lights on and off and back on again. Suddenly going from light to dark and vice versa is quite stressful. I turned the room lights on the other day when the tanks lights where off and the fish went absolutely nuts.

I personally have the lights on afternoon into the evening, when im home and off at night when i normally go to bed, rather than on in the morning and off in the evening. Whatever suits your enjoyment of your tank. Dark for 8 hours so your fish can sleep, light for 8 hours for any plants and your own enjoyment and some transition time in between these periods of full on or off is perfect IMO.

 

[KreativJustin]

A transition period is always good between lights on and off and back on again. Suddenly going from light to dark and vice versa is quite stressful. I turned the room lights on the other day when the tanks lights where off and the fish went absolutely nuts.

I personally have the lights on afternoon into the evening, when im home and off at night when i normally go to bed, rather than on in the morning and off in the evening. Whatever suits your enjoyment of your tank. Dark for 8 hours so your fish can sleep, light for 8 hours for any plants and your own enjoyment and some transition time in between these periods of full on or off is perfect IMO.

I'm in bed by 9:30PM, that is why they go off at 8:30PM. I only get to really check out the tank on a 3 hour window during the week, and then obviously more time during the weekend. Most of the house lights are off during the morning, so it just gets a little light from the window on another wall. I would absolutely love to check out the tank in the morning and get a little more time with it considering how much much I invest into it lol, hence wanting a night light. There is just something about them that is very relaxing.

 

[Aiken Drum]

Not the same light fitting, but this is my programme on my programmable light.

So i can see the tank between 11am to 11pm but they are only on full for 5 hours a day. Even the lower level white light during those transition periods is quite sufficient to see and enjoy the fish.

 

[KreativJustin]

I've attached 2 images of the lights at night. I can dim them on custom, but it seems like they cannot be dimmed when they are on the programmed timer. I set the light to turn on @ noon, go off at 8:30pm. Light stays off until 4:30AM and turns to color. Color goes until noon. This light is a lot brighter than my old one, so wish me luck!

 

[Aiken Drum]

Thats far too bright to leave on overnight. If you cant dim them, turn them off.

 

[KreativJustin]

Well that is saddening What is the point of them making them then if they are bad?

 

[Aiken Drum]

Generally because it will sell more units than if it wasn't a feature.

Some people turn them on for short periods because they like the look like you have done. My aquasky has a setting that rotates through all the colours which looks neat, it has weather settings for cloudiness or lightning. All completely pointless though and i cant see any reason for periodically startling fish with bright flashes of lightning.

They arent night lights. You can add in the coloured lights to the main white and adjust then to give you a different colour appearance to your own taste. For instance add in the red and green lights and it should make your white light appear more yellow. Or just add in the blue if you prefer a more actinic appearance. They serve no practical function. The green light might make green plants stand out more. Play around with the settings and see what you prefer.

Lots of things sold in the aquatics hobby serve no function, dont do what they say, solve problems that dont exist, and in some cases are downright harmful. As long as people buy them they will continue to be sold. The whole industry is unregulated, and 99% of hobbyists are just going by what manufacturers tell them they need.

 

[KreativJustin]

Generally because it will sell more units than if it wasn't a feature.

Some people turn them on for short periods because they like the look like you have done. My aquasky has a setting that rotates through all the colours which looks neat, it has weather settings for cloudiness or lightning. All completely pointless though and i cant see any reason for periodically startling fish with bright flashes of lightning.

They arent night lights. You can add in the coloured lights to the main white and adjust then to give you a different colour appearance to your own taste. For instance add in the red and green lights and it should make your white light appear more yellow. Or just add in the blue if you prefer a more actinic appearance. They serve no practical function. The green light might make green plants stand out more. Play around with the settings and see what you prefer.

Lots of things sold in the aquatics hobby serve no function, dont do what they say, solve problems that dont exist, and in some cases are downright harmful. As long as people buy them they will continue to be sold. The whole industry is unregulated, and 99% of hobbyists are just going by what manufacturers tell them they need.

Well in that case, I will take your recommendation not to use the light at night. There is a 1.5 hour ramp up cycle to full bright, and then the same type of ramp down in the evening. My old one was just off/on, but my plant growth was very slow. This light is a lot brighter, so I will leave it at my 8.5 hour program even though it won't be full brightness for the 8.5 hours of the day. I'll adjust in 2-3 weeks if it seems like growth is still slow.

 

[Aiken Drum]

One thing to take account is that plant growth needs light, nutrients and CO2. One of these will be the limiting factor, most often light or nutrients with low demand plants. So if nutrients are the limiting factor then increasing light wont achieve much apart from feeding algae. If light is the limiting factor then increasing light will help plant growth up to the point where something else is limiting things. Its all about balancing things up, having enough light, with enough nutrients and CO2. So you need to have patience and play around with things until you find that balance.