Why not duplicate actual sun-lighting-dim to bright to dim?

[m.dekort]

Everything I read says lights should be on 10-12 hrs a day (give or take).

tropical fish do not live in places with bright lights for that long.

intense light is usually only 4 hrs a day not counting shade from trees etc

why wouldn't light s be on a timed dimmer simulating the same thing?

[Toni]

"m.dekort" > wrote in message
...
> Everything I read says lights should be on 10-12 hrs a day (give or take).
>
> tropical fish do not live in places with bright lights for that long.
>
> intense light is usually only 4 hrs a day not counting shade from trees
etc
>
> why wouldn't light s be on a timed dimmer simulating the same thing?
>


You sure can do that.
Use actinics or any of the new moonlights to simulate dusk and dawn.
Just set your timers accordingly.


--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/discus.htm

[Tedd Jacobs]

"m.dekort" wrote...
> Everything I read says lights should be on 10-12 hrs a day (give or take).
>
> tropical fish do not live in places with bright lights for that long.
>
> intense light is usually only 4 hrs a day not counting shade from trees etc

intense light _outdoors_ yes, but indoor lighting is nowhere near as bright.
daylight lasts 10-14 hours (depending on the season and the latitude). the tank
lights we use are of much lower intensity than nautral outdoor sunlight, where
it can actually be brighter in the shade than in our tanks. the 10-12 hours
equates to the time of actual daylight, not the intensity.

>
> why wouldn't light s be on a timed dimmer simulating the same thing?

because; 1.) we cant simulate the intensity; so why time for 4 hrs intense
lighting when the best we can provide is the same as shade.
2.) dimmers with florescent lighting does not always work well and decreases the
life of the bulb(s).
3.) the fish forget the lights went out about 10 seconds after they are out,
making the need for a transition a bit negated.
and 4.) i dont think anyone has reported any effects on their fish, positive or
negative, for or against using a timed dimmer with their lighting.

of course there is always the simple pleasure of making the environment as
natural as we feel we possibly can, which totally overrides all the points i
made above. :-)

HTH.

tedd.