how long do we want the lights on during cycling?

[wakeupneo]

thanks!

john

 

[HaKs310]

I personally like to run through the cycle with the lights off. Keeps lots of the algae blooms down while nutrients are being consumed.

 

[mbd521]

Being a Newbie myself and actually just begining to cycle my tank, I have gotten conflicting info on this subject. I have been told to run it wwith the lights off. I have aslo been told to run it with the lights on. Personally, and I could be wrong, I am going to run it with my lights on. For no other reason than I like the lights on in my tank, and also helps me to get used to temp changes and fluctuations... Hopefully by the time I put fish in the tank, I will be knowledgable about how my tank reacts.... It makes sense to me to know that when I turn on my lights I wont overheat the water and fry my little friends that I paid such good money for.....It doesnt really make much since to me to run it without the lights except to cut down on unsighlty algae growth durring the cycle.

I am definatley willing to listen to rational on this though.

Thanks
Brett

 

[mbd521]

Guess I didnt actually specify the amopunt of time... I set my timer to go on at about 8 am and go off at 9pm that gives me 13 hrs of light... probably too much, but I want to be able to enjoy my fish in the evening while watching televsion, or whatever I happen to be doing.

Again, any advice is accepted.
Brett

 

[Wolverine]

Whenever I've run a cycle, I run the light (and feed), as I ultimately plan to light (and feed) the tank. It gets the bacteria to develop to the level I want, and gets me in the habit of keeping the tank as I want.

 

[speer]

I run lights but only keep them on a few hours a day. I like to keep algae issues to a minimum but also like to peek in the tank even during cycling with the lights on.

 

[ajcanale]

Lights on might help speed up the process, as it promotes diatom algae growth which will consume nutrients and go away on it's own.

 

[Palting]

It doesn't make too big a difference either way, IMO. The only time I would think it is a good idea to leave the lights on for any oeriod of time is if you have some primo live rock with a lot of hitchikers on it that require lighting in order to survive. But then, you will also have to do other things to keep those life forms alive during the cycle.

I cycled my two reef tanks with lights on. Just because!! LOL!! If I were to do it all over again, and I probably will on another tank in the future, I will cycle and leave the lights off and ghost feed the rocks for 6-8 weeks just to see what happens.

 

[erock68]

I will begin cycling also, in the next few days. It was recommended to me to keep lights off. Although, I think it comes down to matter of choice.

 

[mlott132]

What about the refugium light? Off til cycle done or turn it on when DT lights are off?

 

[Palting]

I wouldn't put anything live in the refugium during the initial cycle. With nothing there, I wouldn't waste the elctricity.

 

[aleonn]

I'd leave the lights off unless you have coralline-encrusted live rock. Even then, I'd have a short light cycle. I've run chaeto while cycling before with an LED refugium light, which did pretty well.

 

[subsailor232000]

Yep, lights off here as well

 

[mlott132]

I was planning on running about 2-3in live sand and rubble rock in my fuge. Should I wait on that til the cycle is done?

 

[Sk8r]

Read the stickies on how to set up.
Then read the sticky on what to do while you cycle.

 

[zigzag1]

I always kept them on for a few hours a day during the cycle if there was live rock involved. Enough to provide some sustenance to Coraline, and other occupants you want to keep and foster. But not so much that you are encouraging algae during this period of typically higher nutrients. JMTC & GL!

 

[PietschBR]

Guess I didnt actually specify the amopunt of time... I set my timer to go on at about 8 am and go off at 9pm that gives me 13 hrs of light... probably too much, but I want to be able to enjoy my fish in the evening while watching televsion, or whatever I happen to be doing.

Again, any advice is accepted.
Brett

Probably not a good idea to run lights for 13 hours a day during a cycle, IME you will get a lot of undesirable algae. I would suggest that you reduce the lighting period.

 

[1fishkeeper]

I always keep mine off durning a cycle. But as the cycle comes to a end I will start running the lights for just a couple of hours everyday. Then over a couple of weeks turn them up until they are at the time that I want them. I have found this way to work great for me. That way the cycle will have run it course and I can add a clean up crew with something for them to eat from the lights being on for just a couple of weeks.