How Long Should Lighting In Tank/s Be Kept On?

[Ant_Soton]

i dont know the answer to that sorry it all depends on the tube and what wattage it is? i dont think heat should be much of a problem? unless the tank gets to hot from the light... but if u have a thermostatic heater in there it should keep a constant temp?

Yeah i do but temp often exceeds what the heater is set to due to being in conservatory

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Ant, I'm going to stick my neck on the chopping board once more and say you need to move those tanks out of the conservatory, there is no point having a heater set to say 24C and having a temp way above this all summer long (doing the fish no good at all).

A single tank at a time, syphon tank water from your tank (having turned off the heater and filter) to half fill a "fish only bucket" and net all your fish from the tankinto it.
Then remove all the water from the tank and move the tank to another room, where the tanks will not get blasted with direct sunlight (a north or west facing window room would do nicely).
Add new dechlorinated water to the tank, get the heater and filter going for 10 minutes or so.
Drip acclimitise the fish in the bucket to the fresh tank water before netting back into their moved home.

 

[mike455555]

hmm tough question... id say go for as little light as possible... or maybe look into LEDs? i don't think they give off much heat at all?

 

[creeker]

I also split my lighting up, like Mike does. But during mid day, when the lights are off, the tank is not dark. There's just not enough light for the plants then. I think as long as you have an actual night pattern going you would be OK. I use low wattage incadescent.

 

[DD2510]

Ant, I'm going to stick my neck on the chopping board once more and say you need to move those tanks out of the conservatory, there is no point having a heater set to say 24C and having a temp way above this all summer long (doing the fish no good at all).

A single tank at a time, syphon tank water from your tank (having turned off the heater and filter) to half fill a "fish only bucket" and net all your fish from the tankinto it.
Then remove all the water from the tank and move the tank to another room, where the tanks will not get blasted with direct sunlight (a north or west facing window room would do nicely).
Add new dechlorinated water to the tank, get the heater and filter going for 10 minutes or so.
Drip acclimitise the fish in the bucket to the fresh tank water before netting back into their moved home.

+1 to that

 

[Ant_Soton]

Ant, I'm going to stick my neck on the chopping board once more and say you need to move those tanks out of the conservatory, there is no point having a heater set to say 24C and having a temp way above this all summer long (doing the fish no good at all).

A single tank at a time, syphon tank water from your tank (having turned off the heater and filter) to half fill a "fish only bucket" and net all your fish from the tankinto it.
Then remove all the water from the tank and move the tank to another room, where the tanks will not get blasted with direct sunlight (a north or west facing window room would do nicely).
Add new dechlorinated water to the tank, get the heater and filter going for 10 minutes or so.
Drip acclimitise the fish in the bucket to the fresh tank water before netting back into their moved home.

+1 to that

I have no where else to put them. Anyway, its nearly winter now so should be fine for the next while by which time i will hopefully have moved anyway !!!