Hours of Lighting per Day
- Thread starter boomper
- Start date
lion_crazz
Active Member
It depends on what type of tank you are setting up. People with full-blown reefs do 10-12, but if you are doing a fish only tank with just live rock, you do not need anywhere close to that.
Also, time of the day does not matter much, but it is important that you get a timer so that they are on the same amount of hours everyday at the same time. Like people, fish get used to a routine as well, and breaking this routine by moving the time around when you turn the lights on will stress the fish out over time.
Also, time of the day does not matter much, but it is important that you get a timer so that they are on the same amount of hours everyday at the same time. Like people, fish get used to a routine as well, and breaking this routine by moving the time around when you turn the lights on will stress the fish out over time.
T
tizzo
Guest
Try starting out with 8 hours, preferably when your home to enjoy them (incase you work), and if you get a lot of algae, then reduce the time, if not and you want to view them longer, then increase the time. With a fowlr, light is only an appearance thing, not neccessarily beneficial to your fish. But as lion-craze already stated, whenever you do make up your mind, try to stick to a routine.
EDIT... I see your a student, so incase you work, I'm changing to... when your not in school.
EDIT... I see your a student, so incase you work, I'm changing to... when your not in school.
lovethesea
Active Member
timers are a definate way to go. That way if you aren't home by a resonable time, you won't be too worried about it.
We run about 9 on your FOWLR. We were going longer but too much algea. In the summer we switch to about 8 becasue the room they are in is fairly bright in the early afternoon.
We run about 9 on your FOWLR. We were going longer but too much algea. In the summer we switch to about 8 becasue the room they are in is fairly bright in the early afternoon.
lion_crazz
Active Member
What purpose are you using the live rock for? Are you using it for design, or solely for natural filtration purposes? If it for design as well, you will need the lights on longer than if you are just using the rock for filtration. Ten to twelve hours in a fowlr set-up would have more negative effects than positive because it would slow down their metabolism and cause quite a bit of algae growth (and possibly stress). Will you be adding any calcium or strontium to the water to promote the growth of coraline algae? If not, then you don't need much more light than a few hours everday in a fowlr. Like stated above, in a fowlr setup, light is for appearence, not for beneficiary purposes.
I would turn the lights on during the day (morning, afternoonish) and turn them off at night. This way, you're keeping to how the fish are used to light in the wild.
I would turn the lights on during the day (morning, afternoonish) and turn them off at night. This way, you're keeping to how the fish are used to light in the wild.