3 days lights off

[bobbyblank]

Does anyone practice this? Turning lights off for three days then attnic on for the 4th day? I hear if you do it once every 1-2 months, really helps with algea. I my sand isnt full of detruis or food, it just alwase has a nice light brown "tinge" to it . I would like to get her sparkly again, My sand is nice and white in the shade. Its been "tinged" for months now, but i think a major part of it was due to old bulbs (maybe 1 year old). I replaced my old PCs with new ones a few days ago and WOW, what a color difference!

bobby

 

[Underwaterparadise]

Very unhealthy for your corals IMO. Algea should not be an issue with good husbandry and a lil hard work. Get some kritters or a sand sifting goby to help keep the bed clean. Also if it is not a true DSB 5" or more you should vaccum it at least once a month or every other month IMO.

Not to mention the sand will get dirty again a couple days after the lights come back on so it's pointless IMO

 

[Nu2SW]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10889711#post10889711 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Underwaterparadise
Very unhealthy for your corals IMO. Algea should not be an issue with good husbandry and a lil hard work. Get some kritters or a sand sifting goby to help keep the bed clean. Also if it is not a true DSB 5" or more you should vaccum it at least once a month or every other month IMO.

Not to mention the sand will get dirty again a couple days after the lights come back on so it's pointless IMO

Hmm what happens in the wild with wild storms for 3 days..... Oh thats right, the sun goes away.


Dont cover the tank, use the ambient lighting of your house and you will be fine


I went camping for 5 days and had my lights off and everything looked pretty when I turned it on

 

[Reef n' Madness]

I havn't tried the light trick but my watchman goby is pro at keeping the sand sparkly.

 

[Tilmo2180]

Maybe I will try it, I have been battling hair algea for weeks. Since I lost my job I cant buy anything to help get rid of it, this is a nice free solution. I will let everyone know how it goes.

Steven

 

[Underwaterparadise]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10889783#post10889783 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nu2SW
Hmm what happens in the wild with wild storms for 3 days..... Oh thats right, the sun goes away.

That was a pretty smart @$$ reply:lol: :lol: J\K well kinda

Let's see sunlight shining through the clouds or your dark living room with no light, what ones gives off more light.............hmmmm I wonder? Ever go fishing in a cloud cover and still get a sunburn?? I never said it would kill anything just said it's not very healthy IMO!

Corals in the wild are getting much more light then we could ever give them in our aquariums so they have enough energy stored up to handle stormy days. Ever see a coral that has been through export for 3-4 days with no light? Some look fine and others are half dead. Not a risk I am willing to take.

 

[silvers]

This was a huge thread here on RC not long ago alot of people had some success. IMO its only a quick fix and you have to deal with the excess nutrents from the dying algae.Dont feed as much, do more water changes w/RO water , get a bigger skimmer and run somekind of GFO is the only real way to get rid of an algae problem. There is no quick fix

 

[dots]

I believe it should be used sparingly and not as a crutch as a "lack" of husbandry. However, we are trying to mimic an oceanic ecosystem on a limited scale, so the odds are that we are missing something from the get go, are not in our favor.

Using this method as a do-over or resetting of the balance.....just as WCs do........is a way this could be looked at. I believe a purist would think it would/could/will be abused and used for a lack of husbandry and be totally against it. However, look at WCs.....those are an unnatural way of reestablishing balance and there is no prize if you go longer without needing one or not. Therefore, I see no harm in it, and in fact have done it, and it is an EXCELLENT alternative to solving cyanobacteria problems.

I do not see ANY harm in doing this quarterly along with a major cleaning of the powerheads and other mechanicals with a large WC as sort of a "spring cleaning" every three months to help keep everything in balance. It is naive of us to think we have full blown ecosystems that are 100% in balance all of the time, there are just too many unknowns on how things effect each other still.

BTW here is that thread:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1078532

There was an article in Advanced Aquarist or Reefkeeping Magazines, and am looking for it to reference and is probably in the above thread but I got tired at page 17 of 34. Unarce had mentioned it as well and I believe was playing with it, he may be able to remember where the article was.......Karl?

 

[Nu2SW]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10890298#post10890298 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Underwaterparadise
That was a pretty smart @$$ reply:lol: :lol: J\K well kinda

Let's see sunlight shining through the clouds or your dark living room with no light, what ones gives off more light.............hmmmm I wonder? Ever go fishing in a cloud cover and still get a sunburn?? I never said it would kill anything just said it's not very healthy IMO!

Corals in the wild are getting much more light then we could ever give them in our aquariums so they have enough energy stored up to handle stormy days. Ever see a coral that has been through export for 3-4 days with no light? Some look fine and others are half dead. Not a risk I am willing to take.

LOL I know. But it was too good to pass on....

You have a good sense of humor.. Happy to see that.

 

[bobbyblank]

I have not gotten a goby because they are messy. I have been tossing the idea around for around 2 months now and im leaning tward getting one, i just dont know if its gonna make things better or worse . tinged sand where it goes.......clean white sand EVERYWHERE :lol:. I really like the diamond gobys, but they seem more sloppy they watchmans or others IMO. Im sure its different for every fish.
Im not thinking of it as a crutch, i just want to see the difference it makes.

 

[Nu2SW]

Bobby, How old is your tank?

 

[bobbyblank]

5 months

 

[dots]

Your going to go through what I refer as an algae maturation of the tank. You tank is still VERY young and will have minor algae problems that will graduate to newer kinds as it does.

If your tank is up to snuff, it will eventually pass through, but if it is lacking you will be overrun with long hair algae, red cyano, diatoms or bubble algae and need to change what you are doing to cause it.

A little over a course of a number of months is what I would perscribe this treatment for. However, in your case it is most likely caused by the maturation of the tank and quite honestly, should tough it out the old fashioned way to learn how to deal with such problems and "earn you fins(stripes)"

As you stock your tank you livestock choices will be determined more and more about function than form. You may be missing a key componet that using this technique may set you back in the long run.

Exactly why would you be wanting to use this method and show some pics of the "problem" areas please.

I would hate for you to ultimatly be short cutting yourself in the long run. Good question Edwin!!!

 

[Nu2SW]

Thanks Dots....

I knew he was kinda new.... and I remembered when I got my first 50 and all the brown algea.

Post us some pics like Dots said....

all you may need is a good cleanup crew.