Light Question

Daz.

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Hi all not been on in a while. Last time I was on I had a small plastic tank with no heater on lights :unsure: Now I have upgraded to a aqua one UFO 550. I have it all up an running an I've had my water tested an all is fine. So I now have 6 guppies.

The question is how long should I leave my lamp on ?

Thank for advise.
 
plants need 12 hours of light, and thats best split into two lots to avoid too much algae, if you dont have live plants you can put the light on when you are there and turn if off when you go out, di
 
Hi thanks for the reply.

Yeah it get natural light in the room. I'm not sure what the plants are called but I have different ones in there. Some are like large blades of grass an some have large leaf type. Sorry I no thats no help. Be for I got anything I told the fella at the fish store what fish I wanted to put in the tank a he said this type of plant would be fine. So I have a range of different sizes. I don't no if this will also help or make no difference but my tank temp in 26 oC.
 
sounds like vallis, good starter plant and easy to keep, i have loads of that and its a very forgiving plant, its up to you but i have my lights on a timer so it comes on at 7am and off at 1pm, then on at 3pm and off at 9pm, so the plants get 12 hours of light but the algae doesnt get its required 12 hours of constant light, gives the plants a bit of a heads up. di
 
Like fishyfeet said, 12 hours a day will really grow your plants. You could probably get by with 8 hours a day with the plants you described.
 
i've been informed that the hour break to prevent algae is a myth. :blink:
 
not for me, it works great and kittykat does it too and it works for her, i stopped because i was told that, and now i have more algae than ive ever had, so the lighting system is back on, di
 
Is there science behind the split lighting system that says plants will grow but algae won't? I utilize a split 6+6, but it's because the incandescent lighting I use heats the water a few degrees, so I switch it off for a a couple of hours mid day so the water can cool back down. I never have had an algae problem. My Echinodorus palaefolius are thriving under this system.
 
best to ask these questions in the planted tank section, their advice is good. I have mine on for 6 hours, no more. I have no algae.
 

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