Ambient Room light and Stress on Reef Tank creatures

[[email protected]]

I have a 215 reef tank ( home.comcast.net\~fish.tank )
Its in our living room, and the tank lights go out between 6PM and
8PM. (just depends on my mood).
My wife keeps the house lit up like a christmas tree year round for
whatever reason.
When I walk by the tank, the tangs appear active well past midnight,
and the 'nocturnal' crowd seems to stay hidden and away from the front
of the tank.
I've recently gotten a lot of cyno, and in a previous thread (
Cynobacteria/Red Slime Algae: A Success Story (Long)), the point was
made that controlling cyno entails multiple factors.

My theory is that part, again part, of my cyno issue is due to the
ambient room light inhibiting my nocturnal creatures, such as my
mithrax crabs, astrea's, et al which otherwise have been eating cyno.
Also, part two of my theory is the light is causing the fish to be
active too much and are getting stressed. They seem otherwise
healthy.

So, I've started to cover the tank with a sheet to keep the tank
darkened at night. The nocturnals seem more active.

I guess the question is, am I nuts? Does this make any sense at all
or am I off my rocker?


http://home.comcast.net/~fish.tank/

[Matt Awbrey]

As far as I am able to tell, you seem ok. In fact, I find you extremely wise
in your methods. The likelyhood that you are noticing more cyno could be a
direct effect of less animal activity. However, noticing a cyno problem is
doubtful to be animal inactivity induced. More likely it's the direct cause
of the ambient lighting amongst other things. Your remedy of covering the
tank is the correct way to deal with your tanks specific lighting issue. Not
only because it's simple it's also should be relatively unstressful to your
tank inhabitants. However, it also goes much deeper then that. Because by
covering your tank you also covered your butt by not getting on your wifes
case about the lights. Wise indeed : )
> wrote in message
...
> I have a 215 reef tank ( home.comcast.net\~fish.tank )
> Its in our living room, and the tank lights go out between 6PM and
> 8PM. (just depends on my mood).
> My wife keeps the house lit up like a christmas tree year round for
> whatever reason.
> When I walk by the tank, the tangs appear active well past midnight,
> and the 'nocturnal' crowd seems to stay hidden and away from the front
> of the tank.
> I've recently gotten a lot of cyno, and in a previous thread (
> Cynobacteria/Red Slime Algae: A Success Story (Long)), the point was
> made that controlling cyno entails multiple factors.
>
> My theory is that part, again part, of my cyno issue is due to the
> ambient room light inhibiting my nocturnal creatures, such as my
> mithrax crabs, astrea's, et al which otherwise have been eating cyno.
> Also, part two of my theory is the light is causing the fish to be
> active too much and are getting stressed. They seem otherwise
> healthy.
>
> So, I've started to cover the tank with a sheet to keep the tank
> darkened at night. The nocturnals seem more active.
>
> I guess the question is, am I nuts? Does this make any sense at all
> or am I off my rocker?
>
>
> http://home.comcast.net/~fish.tank/

[Ed Schreibman]

Thanks Matt.
How true!
I guess since she's put up with my reef addiction, the least I can do
is put up with her need for light!
Hey, perhaps she'll become covered in coraline!




On Sun, 11 Apr 2004 01:40:36 -0700, "Matt Awbrey" >
wrote:

>As far as I am able to tell, you seem ok. In fact, I find you extremely wise
>in your methods. The likelyhood that you are noticing more cyno could be a
>direct effect of less animal activity. However, noticing a cyno problem is
>doubtful to be animal inactivity induced. More likely it's the direct cause
>of the ambient lighting amongst other things. Your remedy of covering the
>tank is the correct way to deal with your tanks specific lighting issue. Not
>only because it's simple it's also should be relatively unstressful to your
>tank inhabitants. However, it also goes much deeper then that. Because by
>covering your tank you also covered your butt by not getting on your wifes
>case about the lights. Wise indeed : )
> wrote in message
...
>> I have a 215 reef tank ( home.comcast.net\~fish.tank )
>> Its in our living room, and the tank lights go out between 6PM and
>> 8PM. (just depends on my mood).
>> My wife keeps the house lit up like a christmas tree year round for
>> whatever reason.
>> When I walk by the tank, the tangs appear active well past midnight,
>> and the 'nocturnal' crowd seems to stay hidden and away from the front
>> of the tank.
>> I've recently gotten a lot of cyno, and in a previous thread (
>> Cynobacteria/Red Slime Algae: A Success Story (Long)), the point was
>> made that controlling cyno entails multiple factors.
>>
>> My theory is that part, again part, of my cyno issue is due to the
>> ambient room light inhibiting my nocturnal creatures, such as my
>> mithrax crabs, astrea's, et al which otherwise have been eating cyno.
>> Also, part two of my theory is the light is causing the fish to be
>> active too much and are getting stressed. They seem otherwise
>> healthy.
>>
>> So, I've started to cover the tank with a sheet to keep the tank
>> darkened at night. The nocturnals seem more active.
>>
>> I guess the question is, am I nuts? Does this make any sense at all
>> or am I off my rocker?
>>
>>
>> http://home.comcast.net/~fish.tank/
>



http://home.comcast.net/~fish.tank/

[Sprattoo]

OOOO!!! I'm rigging up a PC Actinic hat for my girlfriend now!! I'm not sure
how to get her to wear it though.....

seriously though I have considered a similar remedy for my 75G that is in
our Living room. I run my lights from 2-10 but still in the AM and some
times until midnight the house lights keep the tank "awake"
All seems very healthy.. but I think about this same issue daily.


>snip<
> Thanks Matt.
> How true!
> I guess since she's put up with my reef addiction, the least I can do
> is put up with her need for light!
> Hey, perhaps she'll become covered in coraline!
> snip<