whats your photoperiod schedule?

[danski]

well im still running mines at 4 on 4 off 4 on then off for the rest of the night. I know my 4-4-4 is okay since it was reccomended by zig but i was wondering if this is a type of permanent schedule. Do the plants have enough time to start photosynthesising (<sorry) on this schedule.thanks

 

[jimbooo]

that will be okay and will strongly inhibit algae growth (hence zigs recommendation) once you have the tank stable with no algae and everything in order you can increace the lighting to 5 on 2 off 5 on.

i personally do 4 on 2 off 7on. but i know my tank and have a pretty good idea what will happen when i change things. if your not sure yet and the tanks in the early stages (the first 6 months after planting) leave it at 444.

in short the more light you put into the tank the better the plants will look (up to the 12hr point) however algae follows the same equation. every tank is different so theres only one way to find out the best schedule for you.

6 months of the 444 will show you the results at that level, change it to 525 for 2 months and see no algae growth and you know your okay. etc....

the trick is to give any changes time to have effect, if you change too much too regularly your never going to know what caused the problems.

hope that rambling helps
James

 

[danski]

okay great. i do see that my algae is Sloooowly growing with this schedule and probably being held at bay for now, im hoping to see it all disapear soon.

 

[Jen]

I was doing 4-4-4, but found that the 4 off tended to be mostly when I was down in the room able to view them, so I changed it to 5-2-5

 

[Walt]

I also am 5-2-5

 

[zig]

well i dont remember recommending a 4-4-4 schedule for lighting im sure there must have been a reason for it, ive always done a 5-2-5, but if it suits your lifestyle im sure its fine, no point in having the lights on all day when your in work and turning them off in the evening when your at home, but plants do need a minimum lighting period of 4 hours in order to be able to photosynthesise.

Im not even sure about the 2 hours off period or the siesta anymore i cant find anything to back it up to say that it works and holds off algae or if there is a benifit to it, but again it suits my lifestyle as it extends the photoperiod into the evening, i have run my lights for 10 hours straight for over a couple of weeks or so with no problems, i know gf had potiential problems running his for 12 hours straight, so i think 10 is the maximum i would go, but 5-2-5 suits me at the moment.

Most people will do 10 or 12 hours straight, without the siesta period, anymore than 12 hours and you are asking for trouble.

 

[Jen]

most people will do 10 or 12 hours straight, without the siesta period, anymore than 12 hours and you are asking for trouble.

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Hmmm. I miss my 10 hours straight... I always seem to come home right as the lights are turning off. Maybe once I have the whole EI thing under control, I'll go back to 10 straight and see what happens.

 

[danski]

my sincerest apology to zig. i believe it was gf225 who reccomended the schedule change. it was in a thread i started regarding my algae. so so sorry.

 

[George Farmer]

5-2-5 works best for me also.

I recommened the 4-4-4 because your NO3 were already very low and more light than this may have increased your woes.

 

[zig]

my sincerest apology to zig. i believe it was gf225 who reccomended the schedule change. it was in a thread i started regarding my algae. so so sorry.

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Dont worry about it, i knew there was probably a reason.

 

[George Farmer]

I can think of worse insults than being mistaken for me

 

[Walt]

..i cant find anything to back it up to say that it works and holds off algae...

Here ya go

"Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants" written by Peter Hiscock

"Plants are able to regulate the rate of photosynthesis relatively easily, and quickly respond to changes in light conditions. In other words, they do not take long to warm up and start photosynthesizing once there is sufficient light. However, algae are not as biologically advanced as plants and need a long and relatively uninterrupted period of light to function properly. It is possible to combat algae in the aquarium by controlling the intensity and period of lighting in the aquarium and creating a "siesta" period. This is a period of darkness that interrupts the normal day/night light cycle in the aquarium. If the aquarium receives 5-6 hours of lighting followed by 2-3 hours of darkness and then another 5-6 light, the plants will be relatively unaffected and receive enough light throughout the day, but algae growth rates will be significantly reduced and may even start to die back."

 

[zig]

..i cant find anything to back it up to say that it works and holds off algae...

Here ya go

"Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants" written by Peter Hiscock

"Plants are able to regulate the rate of photosynthesis relatively easily, and quickly respond to changes in light conditions. In other words, they do not take long to warm up and start photosynthesizing once there is sufficient light. However, algae are not as biologically advanced as plants and need a long and relatively uninterrupted period of light to function properly. It is possible to combat algae in the aquarium by controlling the intensity and period of lighting in the aquarium and creating a "siesta" period. This is a period of darkness that interrupts the normal day/night light cycle in the aquarium. If the aquarium receives 5-6 hours of lighting followed by 2-3 hours of darkness and then another 5-6 light, the plants will be relatively unaffected and receive enough light throughout the day, but algae growth rates will be significantly reduced and may even start to die back."

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The first thing i would question is when was the book written and what scientific evidence is offered by the author to back up his claims that siesta periods do prevent algae

[/QUOTE] algae growth rates will be significantly reduced

^^ Obviously, turn the lights off and all growth will be significiently reduced plants and algae, so it really tells us nothing new or of significience.

may even start to die back

^^pure conjecture or has he done studies to prove the above

So, show me the money, or even better show me studies that will uphold the authors assertions that siesta periods auctually have a benifit for planted tanks.

Edit: no idea why none of the quotes etc dont work on this post.......