how many hours should l leave the lights on!

pensky

pensky

Member
How long should I leave the lights on in my tank? I have just begun this tank a few months ago and I converted a freshwater 29gal tank to saltwater. I use an over the top filter with bio-wheel and crush coral on the top of an underground filter pumped by a power head and a protein skimmer for filtration. The lighting is the same I used for the freshwater with only one light with plastic hood. I have always left the light on 24/7 and never turned it off, but just found out that is bad! How long should the lights be on and what times are the best?
In my tank I have:
Yellow tang
2 clown fish
Chocolate chip star fish
Pink tip anemone
10 pounds of live rock
Question 2
I don't have any type of cleaning crew, what do you suggest?
I would like to start working on my lighting and eventually start keeping coral what should my next purchase be and what suggestion do you have?
 
loon

loon

New Member
I wouldn't leave them on more than 10 hours. Having the light(s) on a timer are a big help. The anenome is going to require much more light IMO. Hope this helps
 
dskidmore

dskidmore

Active Member
Up to 12 hours is acceptable, but many find it easier to keep algae under control with only 10 hours.
I agree, that Pink tip anemone is going to need much more intense light for it's long term health.
 
pensky

pensky

Member
Thanks I bought a timer today but just didn't know how long to set if for.
I am also looking to make so type of upgrade but I don't know where to start do you have any suggestion.
The lights are very costly and don't have but $200
 
stang66200

stang66200

Member
29 gallons and a tang . . . the tang police are going to be after you (just a warning)

Unless you have a special bulb, you will probably need to upgrade your lights to keep the anemone healthy and happy.
You might want to consider more LR.
 
dragonfli

dragonfli

Member
Well im sorry to burst your bubble. but UGF's are sooooo not good for salt tanks. i had my tank up for 8 months before i finally got up the nerve to tear out the UGF. they are a trap for "bad" bacteria, and all they do is create bubbles that will eventually only move your algae around.
secondly i had CC also on top of my UGF, and i had to clean the stuff weekly. all it did was create dead space for the algae to bloom. i hated it and thought that that was how it was done. well after a while of using the "search" option, i found that it was unanimous about the UGF, and every one said that LS was way easier to maintain than CC. so i decided to clean the CC and put two inches of LS over the the CC. well after two months the CC had grown so much algaethat the bottom of my tank was almost black. then i decided to tear out the UGF, the CC, and go with only LS and LR, and my tank has been soooooo clean i cant imagine how i survuved the other way?
and if you do it right when you take them out your tank wont cycle again. i did that to my 55g and it didnt cycle afterwards.
oh and the lighting should be left on like the hours of the day. maybe a few more, but they need some down time too.
 
pensky

pensky

Member
I agree I made a mistake with the tang, but the local petshop just started a saltwater tank after mine and is not have very good luck right now so I am waiting and will trade it to him for something else.
How do you suggest I remove the CC and LR with have the trouble of cycling again.
I would like to use you advise and go with LR and LS only!!
 
dragonfli

dragonfli

Member
alright here we go
1. take the fish out.
2. siphon the water out into a rubbermaid tub (20g) when the water gets down to the level of your LR. take the LR and put it into the tub. keep siphoning the water into the tub, until the water gets to about an inch above your CC.
3. put a power head into the tub to keep the water circulating.
4. clean everything outta the tank. (if you use paper backing on the tank now would be a good time to upgrade to paint. i sprayed mine and wow what a difference).
5. put the LS into the tank, and put a plate ontop of the sand. aim the end of the tube from your siphon ontop of the plate and siphon the water back in. the returning water flow hitting the plate will eliminate 90% of the cloudiness. (if not it will be clouy for abouta day or two, worst case scenario)
6. when the water in the tub gets to the level of the LR again put the LR back in.
7. now you can leave the fish out, until you check the water levels, and make sure that there will be no mini cycles, then put them in.........this is most reccomended, or just put them back in. ive seen it doen both ways but always better safe than sorry.
now read up in the search about CC but i would toss it. i know wasted expense but better than wasted time and even more expenses later.
im reading over to make sure this is correct but this is what i did and it worked awesome.
now about the anemone i would say move him with the LR but make sure that the water in the tub is high enough to fully cover him.
 
dragonfli

dragonfli

Member
under the box where you post your reply. there is a section that says "attach file:" click the browse button and open your pic. and click enter. make sure your pic is less than 500x500 i think.
 
fishdude14

fishdude14

New Member
The Yellow Tang should be alright just as long as you don't add any more fish. It depends on how long your tank is but Coralife has a nice system that would be great for what you want to do. It has four 50/50 bulbs, the whites and blues. I also have two 16 gallon tanks and i bought one for each and it's better than the VHO's I have on my 90. You may be able to find better lighting on a very popular auction website for a good price. About 6 watts per gallon is perfect. If you want some kind of lighting 24/7 some lighting kits have a moon light built in. You can buy the moon lights seperate too, they have a few varities of differant kinds.
 
pensky

pensky

Member
I can't get the pics to work now but should i leave the grate in the bottom of the take to set the LS on.
 
dragonfli

dragonfli

Member
some do the grate some dont. i just did the raw LS. id like to hear the positives about using the grate. i know some but they wernt enough to get me. but id love to know.
 
pensky

pensky

Member
when i attact a file (a small pic less than 500X500) but it takes me to a page that says
"There seems to have been a slight problem with the Saltwaterfish.com Message Boards database."
 
dragonfli

dragonfli

Member
hey did it to me too. ive never seen this before i guess they are trying to fix it. toobad
so you gonna make the switch? CC --->LS?
 
pensky

pensky

Member
good now I can stop trying to attach them for now.
Yes I am going to make the change. How much live sand should i use for 30 gal. Is it the same 1pound to 1 gal.
 
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