Lighting

[fish4brains]

Please let me know how long you guys are leaving you tank lights on per day. I have a 45gallon marine tank with 4 30" floursent lights on for 9 hours a day. I just cut back because of all the alge growth I am getting. How big and how long are you leaving your lights on per day? I alos recently started turning my lights on at supper time and turning them off when i go to bed, befor I was turning the lights on when I left for work in the morning and off at supper time when i got home never really getting to enjoy my tank.

 

[SkiFletch]

I run mine from 4pm to 1am, two 175watt metal halides on a 65g tank

 

[pengy666]

I have mine running from 10 am till 9 pm, sump runs 6pm till 6am - 50 gallonish inc sump (uk gallons)

 

[BNyleen581]

Several posts have mentioned using two lighting periods per day. For example running your lights for 5 hours, have a two hour break and then 5 again. I guess the plants and fish don't seem to care so much, but the algae hates it.

I started doing this about 5 months ago and have noticed a drastic decline in my algae growth. Who knows though It could of been because of something else???

 

[n3ont3tra]

Several posts have mentioned using two lighting periods per day. For example running your lights for 5 hours, have a two hour break and then 5 again. I guess the plants and fish don't seem to care so much, but the algae hates it.

I started doing this about 5 months ago and have noticed a drastic decline in my algae growth. Who knows though It could of been because of something else???

I've heard of that for FW planted tanks, but never for marine.

 

[idlefingers]

I have 2x54w T5s on my 65g tank.. I've been slowly increasing the lighting period because I'm not getting much algae growth at all so I figure I may as well take advantage and get to see the fish for longer! It's currently on 12pm-11pm and I'm slowly aiming towards 12pm-12am.

Several posts have mentioned using two lighting periods per day. For example running your lights for 5 hours, have a two hour break and then 5 again. I guess the plants and fish don't seem to care so much, but the algae hates it.

I started doing this about 5 months ago and have noticed a drastic decline in my algae growth. Who knows though It could of been because of something else???

I've heard of that for FW planted tanks, but never for marine.

Yeah, me too. I asked if it's doable on marine when I was setting my tank up but skifletch said the corals wouldn't like it. I assume BNyleen581's referring to FW? Not sure.

 

[n3ont3tra]

Lol, I just switched my timer on my FW tank because I forgot I could do that.

For the sw tank...
actinics: 6am - 9pm
other bulb (forget what it is, lol): 7am to 8pm