Can my tank run on any 12-hour cycle?

dlg · 02/17/2014, 07:26 PM

Hi guys, new to the hobby, a few months in. My question is about my lighting cycle. Because of my work and school schedule I do not wake up until around noon everyday and usually turn my lights on then and off again around midnight. Is this bad to do, should I be following closer to the actual daylight times outside or does it not matter since they are getting 12 hours? Have thought about using a timer but my girlfriend and I aren't home much during the day so by the time we get home we would have to turn the lights off and not get to enjoy it

chrisfont23 · 02/17/2014, 07:34 PM

I do the same thing. I am not home either and my lights go on around 10 AM and off around 8PM...well after it's dark around here. My freshwater tanks go on at noon / off at midnight.

No worries... as long as you are consistent.

nlgill13 · 02/17/2014, 08:33 PM

You could use a timer. I did this for a while and then finally foot the bill for a controller.

If you want to watch the tank when you get home at night you might want to get some moonlights

Sk8r · 02/17/2014, 11:13 PM

The fish come from all sorts of time zones: just pick your best waking period and make that the tank's 'day.' I have my blue actinic on for 10 hours and my main lights on for 8, which gives me an hour of morning and twilight when it's only actinic.

rfgonzo · 02/18/2014, 12:03 AM

My actinic's come on at 2 pm and off at 10 pm, the MH's come on a 4 pm and off at 8:30 pm set up to my schedule of viewing.

02/17/2014, 07:26 PM	#1
dlg Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 6	Can my tank run on any 12-hour cycle? Hi guys, new to the hobby, a few months in. My question is about my lighting cycle. Because of my work and school schedule I do not wake up until around noon everyday and usually turn my lights on then and off again around midnight. Is this bad to do, should I be following closer to the actual daylight times outside or does it not matter since they are getting 12 hours? Have thought about using a timer but my girlfriend and I aren't home much during the day so by the time we get home we would have to turn the lights off and not get to enjoy it

02/17/2014, 08:33 PM	#3
nlgill13 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Boulder,CO Posts: 1,291	You could use a timer. I did this for a while and then finally foot the bill for a controller. If you want to watch the tank when you get home at night you might want to get some moonlights __________________ 90G DT w/ 30G sump, 2 Apollo SolarBlast Dimmable LEDs, 160 Reef Octopus Extreme, Neptune Apex, Mag 7, MP10 & MP40

02/17/2014, 11:13 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	The fish come from all sorts of time zones: just pick your best waking period and make that the tank's 'day.' I have my blue actinic on for 10 hours and my main lights on for 8, which gives me an hour of morning and twilight when it's only actinic. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

02/17/2014, 07:34 PM	#2
chrisfont23 Reef Monster Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Long Island Posts: 1,343	I do the same thing. I am not home either and my lights go on around 10 AM and off around 8PM...well after it's dark around here. My freshwater tanks go on at noon / off at midnight. No worries... as long as you are consistent.

02/18/2014, 12:03 AM	#5
rfgonzo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,280	My actinic's come on at 2 pm and off at 10 pm, the MH's come on a 4 pm and off at 8:30 pm set up to my schedule of viewing.