For those of you that use timers on your tanks...

[boozybears]

Today I FINALLY bought myself a timer for the lights on my tank (yes.. only took me 10 months ). I'd like to have the lights on for a few hours in the morning then again in the evening. Is this ok? What do you all do?

thanks!

Valerie

 

[emo]

I'm trying to get rid of algae at the moment, so right now I go from 8am to 12pm then off till 3pm, then on again till 8pm!

9 hours in total

Edit: Good choice in getting a timer! They are invaluable, especially if your tank is planted!

 

[Discomafia]

Mine are on from 8am - 2pm, off from 2pm til 2 am, on again from 2 am until 6am, then a two hour break until 8am when it's on again. The 2 hour gap in between is an attempt to combat algae, but you don't need to do that if you don't want to...

 

[boozybears]

I used to turn the lights on around 8am then turned them off around 9 or 10pm. This seemed too long, so lately I've just been turning them on when I get home from work at 5:30 then off at 11:00 but that doesn't seem long enough which is why I decided to get the timer.

I was thinking of doing something like having the lights on from 7am-10am then again from 5pm-11pm so for 9 hours in total. Does this sound reasonable or too much?

Val

 

[The-Wolf]

mine are set for 9am to 9pm

 

[Discomafia]

I was thinking of doing something like having the lights on from 7am-10am then again from 5pm-11pm so for 9 hours in total. Does this sound reasonable or too much?

Yea, 9 hours is defn. OK... Depends on what plants (if any) you have, and then 10-12 hours is alright. Nothing over 12 though...

 

[gale]

I'm having an algae problem too, so right now my 10g tank comes on at 8 pm and shuts off at 11 pm. It does get a lot of natural light during the day. My 20g doesn't have a timer yet-I need to get one but there's only a skinny space in front of the outlet so I need a skinny timer. My betta tank is on from about noon until about 3 or 4 am. Not a very good schedule but he's in a blanket overnight (so no light or it'll get too warm) and I sleep until about noon.

 

[the caretaker]

My tank comes to life at 6:30 am and goes to bed at 11pm but by the sounds of it thats to long? you have me worried now

 

[Puffer_freak]

Mine does:

7.40am - 8 am (in case I need to feed in the mroning)
11am - 7.30pm (ish)

But I usually turn my other light on anyway (that isn't on a timer)

 

[daza]

Mine come on at 10:30 and go off at 22:30. I do have some algae though.

 

[Def]

13:00 to 22:00, and I still have a little hair algae problem.

 

[purple_drazi]

My timers are set to go on from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, off from 12 until 4, then on again from 4p.m. until 9.

It's 9 hours, not the 12 which I've read it optimal, but I'm trying to keep algae to a reasonable level while giving the plants what they need. It seems to be work for the plants I have. My Ambulia is taking over the tank it's in, it's grown up and right across the surface of the water so I'm cutting it back. Once I get rid of the surface cover, a lot more light will be reaching the lower plants and we'll see how things stand then.

One thing I did this week was replace the light. It was 6 mths old and I had read here on the forum that even though we can't tell the difference in the light output, the plants can. When I put it in, boy! What a difference in the quality of light! Even I could tell was a lot bluer.

this aqarium ecosystem stuff is so interesting!!

 

[StarOrbs]

My timer is set to come on at 9:30 am - 1:30 then off, then on from 5:30 pm-11:30 pm

 

[wetwetwet]

On main planted tank 7am - midday and 5pm - 10.30pm

Just as a note to those of you trying to combat algae with a break in the lighting period you may have more success with a longer break - min 4 hours...




www

 

[RYO]

My lights come on at 10-30 , off at 13-30, back on 15-30 till 23-30