Lights and when they should be on…

[NannaLou]

So, I’ve bought a new light for the upstairs tank, it has an 8, 10 and 12 hour automatic cycle with about 15-20 minutes of ”dawn” and “dusk” as the lights get brighter or dimmer.

I’m working at home and the tank is in my bedroom, under a window and next to my desk (I spend far, far too long watching fish when I should be working ).

I’m trying to work out when th tank lights should come on within my own lighting needs…I’ve got a bit of what I think is green hair algae developing…

I have fairy lights around the ceiling in my room and they come on about 6:30 in the morning (with the alarm) and about 7:30 I open the black out blinds, but leave a translucent shade down. I have a desk light on most of the day, but prefer to be in a more dimly lit room as it is better for my eye health.

I’m usually back in bed with a cuppa and the TV not long after 9pm and again have the fairy lights on, it’s usually lights out by 10:30 at the latest and in a very dark room until 6:30 the next morning.

I’m thinking that the lights probably only need to be on for about 8 hours as there is a fair bit of light coming in through the window/translucent shade. So, which 8 hours do I have the tank “lit” for..? When my lights go on in the morning..? Will lights coming back on in the evening be disruptive..? Lights on mid afternoon and going off at “lights out”..?

Thoughts and advice welcome, thank you

 

[Byron]

I won't get bogged down with the scheduling of all the cycles, but stick to the absolute basics.

There must be ambient light in the room, whether day light or artificial light, when the tank light comes on, and when it goes out. This avoids stressing the fish [you can read how this occurs in my article on light linked below]. The period of the strongest light, corresponding to the "day" for the fish and plants, cannot be longer than the plants need or problem algae will occur. Eight hours may work, or seven (mine are on 7 hours and no problem algae in five years now), or 9 or 10 hours, whatever. There must also be a continuous period of total darkness--no ambient room lighting or daylight, but pitch black night for several continuous hours. The other times, dawn and dusk basically, can be any period but not with tank lighting of any kind on for long as this can encourage algae.

Contact Support

 

[NannaLou]

I won't get bogged down with the scheduling of all the cycles, but stick to the absolute basics.

@Byron, thank you for your detailed reply and the article, I certainly need to stick with the basics .

So, I think I’ll set the lights to come on about 2pm, soft natural light before then and the artificial light will get brighter during daylight, and let them dim down to off about 10 pm while there are still lights in the room and not long after that total darkness for about 8 1/2 hours.

Thank you, I’ll monitor the algae and adjust as necessary

 

[CRS]

I have my lights on a 12 hour timer 9am-9pm, i use CO2 and my plants grow very well.

 

[FishHobby99]

So, I’ve bought a new light for the upstairs tank, it has an 8, 10 and 12 hour automatic cycle with about 15-20 minutes of ”dawn” and “dusk” as the lights get brighter or dimmer.

I’m working at home and the tank is in my bedroom, under a window and next to my desk (I spend far, far too long watching fish when I should be working ).

I’m trying to work out when th tank lights should come on within my own lighting needs…I’ve got a bit of what I think is green hair algae developing…

I have fairy lights around the ceiling in my room and they come on about 6:30 in the morning (with the alarm) and about 7:30 I open the black out blinds, but leave a translucent shade down. I have a desk light on most of the day, but prefer to be in a more dimly lit room as it is better for my eye health.

I’m usually back in bed with a cuppa and the TV not long after 9pm and again have the fairy lights on, it’s usually lights out by 10:30 at the latest and in a very dark room until 6:30 the next morning.

I’m thinking that the lights probably only need to be on for about 8 hours as there is a fair bit of light coming in through the window/translucent shade. So, which 8 hours do I have the tank “lit” for..? When my lights go on in the morning..? Will lights coming back on in the evening be disruptive..? Lights on mid afternoon and going off at “lights out”..?

Thoughts and advice welcome, thank you

I run the Fluval Aquasky 12 hours a day, including 30 minute sunrise/sunsets. There is not much ambient light near that tank.

 

[Colin_T]

I had my tank lights come on at 2pm and go off at 2am because I am nocturnal. Have your lights on when you are awake and have them go off an hour before you go to bed. If you get lots of algae, then reduce the photoperiod (lighting time) by an hour or two and see how it goes.


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LIGHTING TIMES
Most aquarium plants like a bit of light and if you only have the light on for a couple of hours a day, they struggle. If the light doesn't have a high enough wattage they also struggle. Try having the tank lights on for 10-12 hours a day.

If you get lots of green algae then reduce the light by an hour a day and monitor the algae over the next 2 weeks.
If you don't get any green algae on the glass then increase the lighting period by an hour and monitor it.
If you get a small amount of algae then the lighting time is about right.

Some plants will close their leaves up when they have had sufficient light. Ambulia, Hygrophilas and a few others close their top set of leaves first, then the next set and so on down the stem. When you see this happening, wait an hour after the leaves have closed up against the stem and then turn lights off.


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TURNING LIGHTS ON AND OFF
Stress from tank lights coming on when the room is dark can be an issue. Fish don't have eyelids and don't tolerate going from complete dark to bright light (or vice versa) instantly.

In the morning open the curtains or turn the room light on at least 30 minutes (or more) before turning the tank light on. This will reduce the stress on the fish and they won't go from a dark tank to a bright tank instantly.

At night turn the room light on and then turn the tank light off. Wait at least 30 minutes (or more) before turning the room light out. This allows the fish to settle down for the night instead of going from a brightly lit tank to complete darkness instantly.

Try to have the lights on at the same time each day. Use a timer if possible.


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TWO LIGHT UNITS
If you have two light units on the tank, put them on timers and have one come on first, then an hour later the second one can come on. It will be less stressful for the fish.

In the evening, turn the first light off and wait an hour, then have the second light go out.

If the lights have a low, medium and high intensity setting, have them on low in the morning, then increase it to medium after a couple of hours, and then high for the main part of the day. In the evening, reverse this and have the medium setting for a few hours, then low. Then turn the lights off.