Opinions on Photo Period During Cycling

kfowler · 01/05/2007, 11:24 AM

I'm curious as to how long your leaving your lights on during the first month of establishing your reef tank?

For my current tank, I decided I wanted to go for as much stability as possible. So I'm running my lights 12 hours per day since this is what I'll run when I start adding fish. After one week, I am seeing some algae growth on the LR. Nothing uncitely but we'll see. I am also seeing a tremendous amount of pod activity. They are everywhere. Not sure if this is do to the lighting or some good LR and sand.

Any thoughts?

Hop · 01/05/2007, 12:01 PM

Maybe up to an hour for you to check what's going on inside. otherwise leave them off. Why fuel the algae with light while your levels are elevated and there is no clean up crew. Once everything is cycled and you start adding a cleanup crew, I would slowly bump the lighting up. No reason for 12 hour lighting right now

reeformadness · 01/05/2007, 12:10 PM

Depends on if your LR has nice coralline on it. If it does, give them a little light so you don't have to wait for it to regrow. If not, its up to you on how much you want to clean the glass while you wait for things to cycle and get a clean up crew. I cycled mine with a full light cycle with no ill effects.

kfowler · 01/05/2007, 12:28 PM

I actually have some stellar coraline algae on my Marhsall Island rock. So I don't want to lose that. From latest tests, my cycle has been completed for a couple days now. Now it's just a matter of making sure the tank is stable for the next 3 weeks. I plan on adding a small cleanup crew in a week.

01/05/2007, 11:24 AM	#1
kfowler Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,095	Opinions on Photo Period During Cycling I'm curious as to how long your leaving your lights on during the first month of establishing your reef tank? For my current tank, I decided I wanted to go for as much stability as possible. So I'm running my lights 12 hours per day since this is what I'll run when I start adding fish. After one week, I am seeing some algae growth on the LR. Nothing uncitely but we'll see. I am also seeing a tremendous amount of pod activity. They are everywhere. Not sure if this is do to the lighting or some good LR and sand. Any thoughts? __________________ Kevin "You cannot achieve what you are not willing to pursue." Current Tank Info: 20g Mixed Reef

01/05/2007, 12:01 PM	#2
Hop Carpe Noctem!!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 8,548	Maybe up to an hour for you to check what's going on inside. otherwise leave them off. Why fuel the algae with light while your levels are elevated and there is no clean up crew. Once everything is cycled and you start adding a cleanup crew, I would slowly bump the lighting up. No reason for 12 hour lighting right now __________________ Hop Current Tank Info: 300-gallon in-wall system (mixed reef)

01/05/2007, 12:28 PM	#4
kfowler Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,095	I actually have some stellar coraline algae on my Marhsall Island rock. So I don't want to lose that. From latest tests, my cycle has been completed for a couple days now. Now it's just a matter of making sure the tank is stable for the next 3 weeks. I plan on adding a small cleanup crew in a week. __________________ Kevin "You cannot achieve what you are not willing to pursue." Current Tank Info: 20g Mixed Reef

01/05/2007, 12:10 PM	#3
reeformadness Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Gulfport, MS Posts: 650	Depends on if your LR has nice coralline on it. If it does, give them a little light so you don't have to wait for it to regrow. If not, its up to you on how much you want to clean the glass while you wait for things to cycle and get a clean up crew. I cycled mine with a full light cycle with no ill effects.