Lights on a cycling tank?

[partonks]

I am currently cycling my 50 gallon tank with 75 lbs live rock and 10 lbs live sand mixed with aragonite. I was told by my lfs not to use any aquarium lighting during the curing process, but I saw something different here recently. What is the general opinion? I have 4 96W VHOs, two of which are blue actinics. I don't mind cleaning algae, I want to do what's best for the tank.
Thanks,
Kevin

 

[blutang]

While cycling my aquarium I had two damsels, and I had the light on 6 hours a day and I was very successful. So theres my 2 cents.
Good Luck!

 

[partonks]

Thanks for the idea, I might try turning on some light in the evenings while I'm home, probably not all of them though, it would get too hot and I don't have fans installed yet!
thanks,
Kevin

 

[blueberryboomer]

First let me say Welcome to the best bb on the web....
What are you using to cycle your tank with, fish, rawshrimp? I think with fish you need to have the lights on a short time per day, with raw shrimp leave them off, personaly I like the raw shrimp better, they get kinda smelly, but you can put cans of incense on top of the tank and that helps. Also with the raw shrimp there is no fish to suffer through the cycle...Lisa

 

[partonks]

I'm actually setting up a reef tank, so I'm only using live rock and live sand to cycle the tank right now. My ammonia and nitrites are still on their way up, so I should be right at the beginning of my cycle. This was all on the advice of some friends who've done it and my fish store, so opefully I'll be OK!
Thanks for the help,
Kevin

 

[adam6883]

I recomend leaving lights on 4 - 6 hours a day while cycling with live rock and sand. Lights off for long periods of time can drop ph to unhealthy levels for the rock. Did you say 4 - 96 watt lights? Meaning 384 watts of lighting on a 55 gallon tank? Thats the lighting I use on my 85 gallon tank, achieving 4.5 watts per gallon. In a 55 gallon your getting 7 watts per gallon. I am not an expert on lighting by any means but isn't this a little too much light?
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[partonks]

It probably is overkill but there was a rationale, I swear . I wanted enough light to keep some of the more demanding corals eventually. The difference between 3 and 4 lights was $30 (whereas the entire cost of lighting was obviously quite high). I haven't heard any negativity towards over lighting (except for algae growth) in fact most people seem to say 'get as much as you can afford'. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks,
Kevin

 

[von_rahvin]

raw shrimp?? what is this idea? sounds kinda tasty.
since we are also talking abo0ut light's i'll ask a question, 6 160 w vho on a 135 gallon, too much or not enough?

 

[wastedincome420]

I was going to a a new post but my ? is alot like this one. I was also advised to have lights off during the cycle. My ? is if there is no light wont the LR and LS die?!?!?
I don't want to invest in LS for it to die in the cycle.Also I plan on taking some of my LR out of my 58g and don't want to ruin it
Any help??

 

[fixitdude2001]

Adam, I guess my 10 + watts per gallon in my 72 is too much, I am going to tell ya everything that likes light in our tank just blossoms that much more when all my light are on, as for too much lighting I dont think so. Yes some things enjoy lower lighting but, thats why we place corals at different levels different currents, the good thing about having good lighting is, that piece of coral you want, and shucks you dont have the lighting, it happened to us and guess what, lighting upgrade. And glad we did,can host most anything now. So I think you will be very happy with the extra watts.....and for the raw shrimp , it does the same thing as LR or fish to cycle your tank, rotting shrimp create ammonia therefore starting your cycle.It worked real well for us...cya...fixit.