Should The Light Be On Or Off?

[Mr.September15]

I bought a fish from wal-mart yesterday that came with a bag that was huge. The bag I mean not the fish. Anyways on the way home I found that it has some information on fish-keeping. It said to keep the light on during the day and turn it off at night. Is that true? If it is, is it because of the day and night thing?

-Arrowhead

 

[Durbkat]

Is it that common pleco that you got for real cheap? If so the light should be off for the first 2 days then on for a few hours the next and off at night and give him an algae wafer then work up the amount of hours the light is on every other day.

 

[Fella]

I bought a fish from wal-mart yesterday that came with a bag that was huge. The bag I mean not the fish. Anyways on the way home I found that it has some information on fish-keeping. It said to keep the light on during the day and turn it off at night. Is that true? If it is, is it because of the day and night thing?

-Arrowhead

Errm, I always have the light on during the daylight hours and off at night. I would have thought any other way would just be weird, not much point in lighting up the tank while I'm asleep...

 

[Mr.September15]

Durbkat- Is it really necessary to build up hours?

Fella- Yeah thats what I was thinking.

-Arrowhead

 

[Durbkat]

Durbkat- Is it really necessary to build up hours?

Fella- Yeah thats what I was thinking.

-Arrowhead

I don't guess so but I thought I'd share my own personal experience which has worked everytime. But I guess you don't have to listen to me about it and someone else can suggest a easier way to do it. So is this fish we are talking about that common pleco that you were asking questions about it in the catfish section? If so I've replied to it so has to other people.

 

[Mr.September15]

Durbkat- Is it really necessary to build up hours?

Fella- Yeah thats what I was thinking.

-Arrowhead

I don't guess so but I thought I'd share my own personal experience which has worked everytime. But I guess you don't have to listen to me about it and someone else can suggest a easier way to do it. So is this fish we are talking about that common pleco that you were asking questions about it in the catfish section? If so I've replied to it so has to other people.

I'm sure its the right way. I guess having new experiences will help so I'll go with yours and see how it goes.

-Arrowhead

 

[Durbkat]

Durbkat- Is it really necessary to build up hours?

Fella- Yeah thats what I was thinking.

-Arrowhead

I don't guess so but I thought I'd share my own personal experience which has worked everytime. But I guess you don't have to listen to me about it and someone else can suggest a easier way to do it. So is this fish we are talking about that common pleco that you were asking questions about it in the catfish section? If so I've replied to it so has to other people.

So is it?

 

[_Cal_]

Why would you need to build up hours? Light on during the day, light off when its dark, its how it works.

 

[tetraqueen]

Why would you need to build up hours? Light on during the day, light off when its dark, its how it works.

New to this so I may be wrong.

Too much light does not give natural habitat, but too little will not keep plants etc alive.

I always when entering a fish keep it dark for a few hours. Daylight is light in summer but in winter have tank on in evenings.
When you buy fish you will see they put it in a dark bag for travel. My bala sharks were cupped in the bag in his hands to settle them. The dark does soothe them .

Then I do what i want now my fish have settled.
I enjoy when I am sittting near them in the morning when a little fish food or bloodworm is fed . Off during day then on in evening for approx three hours then the plec gets his food, maybe the others get cucumber etc. then thats it for the next day.

Most places have night so fish would have night time in puddles. If you do keep the fish light on all day you will get more algae but keep dark spots for the fish ie caves and tunnels.

Hope this is of help.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Fish do benefit from regular hours; they need to know that there is a dark, resting time (or active time for nocturnal fish). The easiest way is to buy a cheap timer from a hardware store; that way, night and day will happen whether you're there or not.

 

[morgan]

Normal community fish need 8-10 hours of light. I put the tank light on from 7.30 - 10.30 am and 5 - 11.30 pm. I read this information from an algae treatment leaflet. It said that too little light and you get brown algae and too much and you get green algae. I have followed that advice ever since. They get some daylight during the day and it is completely dark at night. I use the timer if I am not there.

 

[chishnfips]

my fish always get 10 hrs of light a day, then its off.

The way I look at it is the sun doesn't go on or off all the time does it.

you get night, you get day.

 

[rdd1952]

I don't think it necessarily has to be on in day and off at night. I run my lights in shifts. On at 6:00 AM, off at 10 AM, back on at 4 PM and off at 10 PM. Basically on for 10 hours a day. Fish definitely need dark time so don't burn your lights 24 hours a day. Besides not giving the fish down time, you could end up with a terrible algae problem from that much light.

 

[Mr.September15]

yeah o.k.

 

[91-MR2]

Hey, I am also new to this whole fish thing, well not brand new but not nearly as expertly knowledgeable as some of these fine folks. To my knowledge, true to nature your tank should simulate the lighting effects as close to the fish's natural habitat as possible. I would say a steady mix of light and dark (after the fish is settled) is the proper ticket. Also, I believe a constant supply of light promotes algae growth as well. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.