Should I leave the light on?

Should an aqarium light stay on 24/7?
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On Mon, 18 Jul 2005 17:13:47 GMT, Suzie-Q
wrote:

Should an aqarium light stay on 24/7?

If you mean 24 hours a day, all the time, no it shouldn't. The light
should be on about 12 hours a day, off the other 12 hours.

-Derek

Documented research indicate that on Mon, 18 Jul 2005 20:49:31 +0200, Derek
Benson wrote:

On Mon, 18 Jul 2005 17:13:47 GMT, Suzie-Q
wrote:

Should an aqarium light stay on 24/7?

If you mean 24 hours a day, all the time, no it shouldn't. The light
should be on about 12 hours a day, off the other 12 hours.

This actually makes me wonder. We have ours turn on at 7, because that's
the only way the fish have enough time to wake up so we can feed them
before we leave for work. And then we have it turn off at 22.00 (10 PM),
because otherwise we won't ever get to see the tank with the lights on ...

That makes our tank run with lights on for 15 hours, and off for 9 ...

Would it be in anyway beneficial to have the lights off for 3 hours mid-day
or would that serve nothing but screw up their cycle even worse ???

We're talking about a 29 gal All-Glass tank with flourescent light on
timer. The light that was supposed to come with the tank wasn't in the box,
so the shop gave us a replacement for free, and according to their own
statement, the one we got is of much better quality than what the tank
normally ships with.

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On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 02:44:41 GMT, Rene Brehmer
wrote:

Documented research indicate that on Mon, 18 Jul 2005 20:49:31 +0200, Derek
Benson wrote:

On Mon, 18 Jul 2005 17:13:47 GMT, Suzie-Q
wrote:

Should an aqarium light stay on 24/7?

If you mean 24 hours a day, all the time, no it shouldn't. The light
should be on about 12 hours a day, off the other 12 hours.

This actually makes me wonder. We have ours turn on at 7, because that's
the only way the fish have enough time to wake up so we can feed them
before we leave for work. And then we have it turn off at 22.00 (10 PM),
because otherwise we won't ever get to see the tank with the lights on ...

That makes our tank run with lights on for 15 hours, and off for 9 ...

Would it be in anyway beneficial to have the lights off for 3 hours mid-day
or would that serve nothing but screw up their cycle even worse ???

We're talking about a 29 gal All-Glass tank with flourescent light on
timer. The light that was supposed to come with the tank wasn't in the box,
so the shop gave us a replacement for free, and according to their own
statement, the one we got is of much better quality than what the tank
normally ships with.

The 12 hours a day has to do with plants and algae primarily. Having
lights on more than 12 hours a day may cause a lot more algae growth.
I think it makes no difference to the fish if the lights are on 15
hours. You can also turn off the light if you want in the middle of
the day and it shouldn't bother the fish. I don't think the fish will
go to sleep as there's probably some daylight coming into the room
from outside; this is enough that fish will still consider it to be
daytime. My fish are awake before the lights come on in the tank just
from the daylight coming through the windows.

-Derek

I recently increased the light span on my betta tanks to 15 hours. I
wanted to allow more algae to grow for the otos that I have in there.
I was concerned because they seemed to be running out of algae to eat!
But, now with the increased lights, they always have a bit to eat and
seem to be doing well.

Cheers,

- Lisa in Central Coast, CA

"Suzie-Q" wrote in message
...
Should an aqarium light stay on 24/7?

Nope. Fish need to sleep too or else they get stressed out which after a
prolonged period of light can cause the fish to get sick and perhaps pass
away. I think my silver dollars have some kind of eyelid function but I will
never test it and most if not all other fish don't have eyelids or ways to
sleep with the light on although I have had an experience or too when I was
in late grade school where I had my betta tank lights on at night and he had
a lot of daylight during the day and I think that betta was able to sleep
with the light on but I am sure that was one thing that stressed him out and
killed him as you could imagine what it is like for a fish by keeping your
eyes open while trying to sleep. Use a timer - they are pretty cheap and
make the lighting easy. The only road block I can foresee for you is if your
light is an old fluorescent without a starter other than a special switch.
Good luck and later!


--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

http://www.suzanne-eckhardt.com/
http://www.intergnat.com/malebashing/
http://www.intergnat.com/pussygames/

Daniel Morrow wrote:
"Suzie-Q" wrote in message
...

Should an aqarium light stay on 24/7?


Nope. Fish need to sleep too or else they get stressed out which after a
prolonged period of light can cause the fish to get sick and perhaps pass
away. I think my silver dollars have some kind of eyelid function but I will
never test it and most if not all other fish don't have eyelids or ways to
sleep with the light on although I have had an experience or too when I was
in late grade school where I had my betta tank lights on at night and he had
a lot of daylight during the day and I think that betta was able to sleep
with the light on but I am sure that was one thing that stressed him out and
killed him as you could imagine what it is like for a fish by keeping your
eyes open while trying to sleep. Use a timer - they are pretty cheap and
make the lighting easy. The only road block I can foresee for you is if your
light is an old fluorescent without a starter other than a special switch.
Good luck and later!


Not only do the fish need a photoperiod, but you will tend to grow a lot
of algae with the lights on 24/7. Plant's can't use 24 hours of light
but algae sure can!

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

In article ,
"Daniel Morrow" wrote:

Fish need to sleep too or else they get stressed out which after a
prolonged period of light can cause the fish to get sick and perhaps pass
away.

I've always been curious how fish sleep, particularly if the current in
the tank is constant. My pleco, I can understand -- he just sucks onto
the log or the glass, and he's anchored.

The danios and tetras have no such luxury. I would imagine if they
became fully unconscious, they'd drift with the current and bump into
things.

How are they able to sleep without becoming fully motionless and thus
bumping into things?

--
Pete Stephenson
HeyPete.com

"Pete Stephenson" wrote in message
news
In article ,
"Daniel Morrow" wrote:

Fish need to sleep too or else they get stressed out which after a
prolonged period of light can cause the fish to get sick and perhaps
pass
away.

I've always been curious how fish sleep, particularly if the current in
the tank is constant. My pleco, I can understand -- he just sucks onto
the log or the glass, and he's anchored.

The danios and tetras have no such luxury. I would imagine if they
became fully unconscious, they'd drift with the current and bump into
things.

How are they able to sleep without becoming fully motionless and thus
bumping into things?

--
Pete Stephenson
HeyPete.com

Most of mine just seem to hang out at the back of the tank...the catfish
sleep on the bottom and the Clowns just sleep in one big heap - quite often
on their backs....

Try sneaking a look around half an hour after lights out.....

Gill

In article ,
"Gill Passman" gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk wrote:

Try sneaking a look around half an hour after lights out.....

That's kinda hard without lights.

But thanks to you and all those who responded. Very informative, thank
you.

--
Pete Stephenson
HeyPete.com