5-2-5

[JasonB]

I bought a digital timer for my lighting for my planted aquarium today. I've noticed some of you mention your schedules are set to 5 hours on, 2 off and 5 on. Is this the preferred method for lighting or should I go a straight 12 hours on?

Thanks!

J.

 

[Chris_Wood]

Hi Jason,

The 5-2-5 lighting is meant to give the plants a midday 'siesta' from photosynthesising and can be beneficial, the loss of light for 2 hours also acts as a control for algea (note that this has no effect whatsoever in a naturally well light room).

I use the above with a great deal of success... ...however many people use the straight 12 h with no problems at all!

CW

 

[Themuleous]

I prefer to have the lights on for 10hrs (in a planted tank, my 'fish' fish tank is on for 12hrs). The plants don't get a siesta in the wild, so why given them one in the aquarium?

I'm also not really sure of the algae preventing ability a siesta is supposed to have, if the tank is primed for algae, having no artificial light for two hours isn't going to stop it taking over!

Sam

 

[Chris_Wood]

I'm also not really sure of the algae preventing ability a siesta is supposed to have, if the tank is primed for algae, having no artificial light for two hours isn't going to stop it taking over!

Sam

True, True

Also as I said above, because the siesta period is during the day (i.e. during light hours) unless the room is very dark the algea will carry on fine!

Algea... ...

CW

 

[The-Raven]

i just have my lights in time with regular sunrise/sunset.... so right now it's something like 13 on, 9 off....

this is also partly due to the fact that the room is lit up by the sun during the day anyway, so having the lights off in the aquarium looks kinda silly

 

[ChrisP]

I have read that the siesta slows down plant growth more than it does algae growth, I prefer to just have my lights on full blast for 10hours straight and I get very good growth this way.

 

[Themuleous]

i just have my lights in time with regular sunrise/sunset.... so right now it's something like 13 on, 9 off....

So you have 22hr days? sorry couldnt let that one past

 

[Chris_Wood]

So you have 22hr days? sorry couldnt let that one past

Poor little fish, they don't have many years to live anyway... ...let alone missing two hours every day!

CW

 

[Qays]

I read that certain types of algae hate sudden lights out. But plants dont notice it.