Tank Lights On and Off Several Times a Day ?

DiverDude · #1 03-22-2010, 08:42 PM

Noob question: I'd like to turn on my tank lights when I feed in the mornings but I've held back on doing that since I don't want to screw-up the tank's 'biological clock'. After all, the lights are their sun and the sun doesn't pop-up for 10 minutes in the morning and then go back to sleep for ~4 hrs before coming out for the day !

I know this isn't going to kill anything but I'd like the opinions of more experienced reefers as to whether I'm stressing the tank at all if I were to do this.

globaldesigns · #2 03-22-2010, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiverDude

Noob question: I'd like to turn on my tank lights when I feed in the mornings but I've held back on doing that since I don't want to screw-up the tank's 'biological clock'. After all, the lights are their sun and the sun doesn't pop-up for 10 minutes in the morning and then go back to sleep for ~4 hrs before coming out for the day !

I know this isn't going to kill anything but I'd like the opinions of more experienced reefers as to whether I'm stressing the tank at all if I were to do this.

I am not sure if you are stressing things, but I would personally setup a lighting schedule so you have things on for a certain amount of time.

For example, my lights turn on at noon, and turn off at 11pm, when lights are off, moon lights are on.

George · #3 03-22-2010, 09:55 PM

Is the tank description in your signature accurate? If it is, I assume you have a fish only tank. You can turn on and off the light a couple of times a day no problem.

howdy20012002 · #4 03-22-2010, 10:30 PM

DiverDude · #5 03-23-2010, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by George

Is the tank description in your signature accurate? If it is, I assume you have a fish only tank. You can turn on and off the light a couple of times a day no problem.

I guess I could update it to be more specific since I'm a noob and details can be important. I have a couple of Yellow Tail Damsels, an Orange Spotted Watchman Goby, Red Banded Coral Shrimp and a Sand Sifting Sea Star. I'm looking to start on some LPS and am looking to upgrade my lights so i can look at some SPS.

I currently have a schedule running where the lights come on a little after noon (12:30 to be precise) and shut off at 11:30PM. This is because I work long hours and I want the tank lit when I'm at home at night. Otherwise, I'd just set the lights to come on in the morning and shut down ~11 hrs later.

new but handy · #6 03-23-2010, 01:30 AM

what do you have for coral?

DiverDude · #7 03-23-2010, 01:48 AM

No coral just yet but it's coming -LPS only until I figure out some kind of lighting upgrade.

new but handy · #8 03-23-2010, 01:50 AM

if you have no coral then you can do whatever you want with your lights

Funky_Fish14 · #9 03-23-2010, 05:22 AM

Fish are not exactly impressed though with abrupt lighting changes like that. I would just wait till later in the day and feed them a few times while you are home. I notice fish act weird when you do so. They dont bang in to walls, but they certainly dont act normally. Its like turning on room lights where someone is right asleep, they certainly aren't going to get up and eat breakfast then go back to sleep... if that makes sense?

DiverDude · #10 03-23-2010, 03:22 PM

Well they'll get fed at 8am or somewhere around 9pm when I'm home from work. Problem with feeding them at night is that the few hours between 9 and around 11:30 is when I live my life so I can't always be sure to be there or what have you. So, it pretty much has to be first thing.