Lighting Question -length and interrupted lighting

[JHudson]

Hi
I was reading somewhere that to help fight algae you can turn your lights
off 2-3 hours in the middle of the day. Has anybody done this? Any
experiences good or bad? Also regarding length, I read anywhere from 10hrs
to 15hrs a day for a tank. My tank is low light(just under 2 watts/gallon)
and was wondering is there anything that would help me decide the number of
hours I should have it on.
Thanks

--
JHudson
Sure. Fine. Whatever. -Syzygy
I have. I did. It's done. -Fight the Future
Duct tape is like the Force, it has a dark side and a light side and it
holds the universe together.
I'm completely normal, just the rest of the world is nuts...
There are lies, damn lies and statistics!

[Amit]

Mmm....
I tried is as well and read in many places the a 'Siesta' of photo period is
bad for Algae and would not effect your plants.... So have I read... And
tried for about 2 weeks... didn't help at all.
I recommend 10 -12 hours a day. I also run a low light tank.... So it is
also a matter of experience..
"JHudson" > wrote in message
news:uu6Cb.51547$d35.7988@edtnps84...
> Hi
> I was reading somewhere that to help fight algae you can turn your lights
> off 2-3 hours in the middle of the day. Has anybody done this? Any
> experiences good or bad? Also regarding length, I read anywhere from
10hrs
> to 15hrs a day for a tank. My tank is low light(just under 2
watts/gallon)
> and was wondering is there anything that would help me decide the number
of
> hours I should have it on.
> Thanks
>
> --
> JHudson
> Sure. Fine. Whatever. -Syzygy
> I have. I did. It's done. -Fight the Future
> Duct tape is like the Force, it has a dark side and a light side and it
> holds the universe together.
> I'm completely normal, just the rest of the world is nuts...
> There are lies, damn lies and statistics!
>
>

[LoaderLady]

I just read this recently as well and mentioned it to another group I am on.
Apparently, plants can begin photosynthesis as soon as there is light to do
so, but algae needs an extended period of light to get going. Shutting off
the lights will stop both the plants and the algae from photosynthesizing
but the plants start right back up again, where the algae takes a while to
get going again.

I have been doing it with my 2 tanks, but they haven't been set up long
enough to give a real opinion on it either way yet. I have just started to
"go green" but none of my tanks (planted and not) have much algae build up
to begin with.

--
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"JHudson" > wrote in message
news:uu6Cb.51547$d35.7988@edtnps84...
> Hi
> I was reading somewhere that to help fight algae you can turn your lights
> off 2-3 hours in the middle of the day. Has anybody done this? Any
> experiences good or bad? Also regarding length, I read anywhere from
10hrs
> to 15hrs a day for a tank. My tank is low light(just under 2
watts/gallon)
> and was wondering is there anything that would help me decide the number
of
> hours I should have it on.
> Thanks
>
> --
> JHudson
> Sure. Fine. Whatever. -Syzygy
> I have. I did. It's done. -Fight the Future
> Duct tape is like the Force, it has a dark side and a light side and it
> holds the universe together.
> I'm completely normal, just the rest of the world is nuts...
> There are lies, damn lies and statistics!
>
>

[coelacanth]

I just this week gave up on the "Siesta" approach. I found that
the algae was growing better with a 3 hour blackout mid-day.
My (wild assed) guess is that since the algae is on the front,
closest (though perpendicular to) a window several meters
away, it go sufficient illumination and access to nutrients while
the vascular plants were "sleeping". In any case, the return of a
normal 12 hour cycle has encouraged a burst of activity by
my ottos.

-coelacanth

P.S. I've since looked at some of the discussion of using a
"siesta" and I must say I doubt that there is convincing
evidence to support the "slow algal photosynthesis"
theory that's being asserted.

"Amit" > wrote in message
...
> Mmm....
> I tried is as well and read in many places the a 'Siesta' of photo period
is
> bad for Algae and would not effect your plants.... So have I read... And
> tried for about 2 weeks... didn't help at all.
> I recommend 10 -12 hours a day. I also run a low light tank.... So it is
> also a matter of experience..
> "JHudson" > wrote in message
> news:uu6Cb.51547$d35.7988@edtnps84...
> > Hi
> > I was reading somewhere that to help fight algae you can turn your
lights
> > off 2-3 hours in the middle of the day. Has anybody done this? Any
> > experiences good or bad? Also regarding length, I read anywhere from
> 10hrs
> > to 15hrs a day for a tank. My tank is low light(just under 2
> watts/gallon)
> > and was wondering is there anything that would help me decide the number
> of
> > hours I should have it on.
> > Thanks
> >
> > --
> > JHudson
> > Sure. Fine. Whatever. -Syzygy
> > I have. I did. It's done. -Fight the Future
> > Duct tape is like the Force, it has a dark side and a light side and it
> > holds the universe together.
> > I'm completely normal, just the rest of the world is nuts...
> > There are lies, damn lies and statistics!
> >
> >
>
>