do i need lights when cycling my tank?

[snaza]

do i need lights when cycling my tank? or can i buy them after its finnished

 

[kraze3]

no you dont, if youd like you can keep them off. Id recommend you run them for a shortened period of time. Will keep coraline algea alive and/or any corals that could be on your rock.

 

[snaza]

ok thanks. how long would your recommend the lights are on for why cycling?

 

[bertoni]

Keeping the lights on might encourage pest algae to grow. Lighting the tank might help reduce the severity of the cycle by allowing various algae to process the ammonia. So it's a tradeoff. Leaving the lights off is probably the easiest way to go.

 

[meco65]

No you dont have to run the lights but If you want to keep your coraline algea in good shape I myself would put the lights on a timer for 4 or 5 hours a day.

 

[yeame]

you dont need lights to cycle ? isnt the whole point of the cycle to produce growth I say no growth no full cycle and now isnt that the whole point of the cycle. u need bad bacteria to get good bacteria thats what the cycle is. live rock has alot of things growing on it that need light to live with out light it dies. then when u add light you get algea blooms

 

[snaza]

ok thank. so you reckon about 4-5 hours a day