Cycling My Tank.. To Light Or Not To Light?

[MissG55]

Hooray i have live rock in my tank. It looks lovely but i am not sure if i should have the light on at all or just for a short period each day?
Any recomendations?
Thanks
The light i will be running is a 150 watt 13000 kelvin Ocean light Metal Halide Lighting unit.
Donna

 

[Truck]

Leave them off unless you want algae.

 

[MissG55]

Leave them off unless you want algae.

That was quick!
I will leave them off then.
Thank you.

 

[Morri]

I would put them on for 6 - 8 hours a day to make sure the bacteria you get is the right one as I believe its a diffrent Bacteria that works without light but been a while since I read up on benefcial bacterias

 

[john.o]

Ditto as morri said I would put the lights on for say 4hrs a day to start off with then slowly build them up over a week or two, to 8 or 9hrs a day, }, and as truck says it will also help with alga
Regards john,o

 

[MissG55]

Ok, Will start turning the lights on for a couple of hours a day and building it up.
Thanks everyone.

 

[ben1987]

where you getting your live rock from? how long will it be out of water?
if its cured and not going to be out of the water long, then your cycle will be very short - in this case id leave them off, so you start with lovely clear glass. But if its going to take a while. id light it a couple hours a day

 

[MissG55]

where you getting your live rock from? how long will it be out of water?
if its cured and not going to be out of the water long, then your cycle will be very short - in this case id leave them off, so you start with lovely clear glass. But if its going to take a while. id light it a couple hours a day

The live rovk was out of the water for about 40 mins.
It was fully cured fiji rock.
How long do you think the cycle will take?

 

[ben1987]

might not even see one, give it 24 hours and test. 40 mins isnt long at all.