Lighting Duration

[jparker98]

I should have mentioned my tank is in the basement so there's little to no daylight during the day...I actually changed my timer to 3pm to 11pm when I got home today since I'm rarely home till after 3pm anyways. I guess more rest is never a bad thing.

I typically feed them a little in the morning before I go to work around 8-9am with the lights off and then feed them a bigger meal when I get home from work around 6-7pm.

 

[Michiba54]

I only turn my lights on when I need to see the fish/tank.

They are more then happy with ambient lighting an it doesn't turn the aquarium in an algae farm.

 

[Psylant]

My lights come on at noon-ish and off when I go to bed (usually around 2am)

 

[duanes]

In the tropics the sun is about 10 hours, with high intensity mid day, plants can only use that length photo period, but algae can use use it all. If you don't have plants, it really doesn't matter how short, but longer can create algae problems.
And fish do sleep, so they do require a rest period, when you set the photo period to be, doesn't matter.

 

[josolanes]

Mine are on 830a - 730p, medium-high light planted tank though. I did it to mimic the sunrise and sunset and there's a lot of shade in my tank since it is heavily planted

 

[TFH]

I am trying 11am-2pm and 4pm-8pm, I've heard that if you turn them on and off twice it's best to leave them off at least 2 hours in between, less stress for the fish I think.

 

[taintedpolarity]

Are there pros/cons to having your lights on longer/shorter?

Algae is pretty much it IMO.

Also messing with the fishes' sense of day/night is the only effect turning the lights on and off at different times in one day has that I know of.

 

[Aquanero]

If the tank isn't planted the lights are only for you to view the fish. If you get home at 5 as an example then 5 to 10 or 11 is fine. As the sun sets earlier you could go 3 to 11. Giving this is a room that is bright during the day. I don't like the fish to be in tatal darkness before the lights go on, so adjust your timer accordingly. Otherwise no big deal. On the 225 in the family room I have one light, a double flo fixture go on an hour before the main LEDs and turn off and hour before. All the other tanks are just on a stright on/off timer as discribed above.

 

[Jeremy wade]

I turn my lights on once a day to feed them. Then turn it off. Sometimes I turn it on to show people the fish but that's it. I see no reason to have the light on all the time

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