Leaving the light on 24/7 in a all coral tank?
- Thread starter Hunterx
- Start date
dragon_slayer
In Memoriam
corals take up Ca when the lights are on and deposit it when they are off, extended photo periods (over 16 hrs) have stunted stony coral growth IME, softies I've had grow perfectly fine in my fuges light 24/7
kc
kc
currentking
New member
24/7 say hello to algae
dragon_slayer
In Memoriam
that's incorrect, poor water quality is the contribution to algae and if your water quality is lacking you'll have unwanted algae growth with any lighting cycle.
kc
chrisqueenz
New member
I wonder if you will feel the same when your electric bill arrives at the end of the month...
dragon_slayer
In Memoriam
reef tanks are just like driving SUVs it's up to you to decide if it's worth it or not on your power bill or your gas millage.
kc
kc
greenbean36191
Premium Member
While the zooxanthellae are photosynthesizing they pump oxygen into the coral tissue faster than it can diffuse out. By the end of the day the tissues are supersaturated with oxygen and it actually starts to become toxic. They need the dark period to purge themselves of the oxygen. If you kept the light on for 24 hours you would probably see bleaching at the least and outright coral death at the worst.
loosecannon
New member
i keep my refum on 24/7. but if i were keeping m.h.,s on 24/7 i wood run a cord over to my next door nabres home sssssshhhhhhh!
chrisqueenz
New member
Not a bad idea!
AquaReeferMan
Got Reef?
Does the sun stay out all the time on the reef around the world??
elegance coral
They call me EC
Greenbean is 100% right, and I'm not just saying that because of the pic. Extended photo periods are very damaging to corals. Intense lighting can cause an otherwise normal light cycle to be to long. Even a modest light fixture ran 24/7 would eventually kill the corals.
chesapeake
New member
14 hours max
chesapeake
New member
now if you want to use moonlighting thats ok
thrillreefer
New member
I usually keep the lights on a timer about 10-12 hours. On the few occasions that I have left the lights on too long (overnight cause i passed out drunk, during finals weeks, etc.) I have noticed that the softies especially close up until the light are turned off, and then even are slow to open the next day. I suspect they get the coral's equivalent of a sunburn.
It's an interesting experiment to try 24/7 lighting. You might find that some species love the excess light. You could even try an alternating light cycle, such as 6 hours on, 1 hour off, to see what the minimum amount of darkness is needed for good growth.
Do it, try the lighting 24/7. Make I thread and I'll subscribe.
It's an interesting experiment to try 24/7 lighting. You might find that some species love the excess light. You could even try an alternating light cycle, such as 6 hours on, 1 hour off, to see what the minimum amount of darkness is needed for good growth.
Do it, try the lighting 24/7. Make I thread and I'll subscribe.
My 54 was left at my old house when I moved, came by and fed the fish and all but it was one of the last things I moved I had one solid electrical bill with nothing but the aquarium and minus all the fees the 250 w MH and PC ran me $40….the MH only stays on 8 hours a day, the PCs like 14 hrs…..
Hormigaquatica
Active member
1) Photosynthesis does not occur in the dark- different mechanisms take dominate at that point.
2) You Will get more algae growth. Noones tank is totally void of nutrients, and without light as a limiting factor, algae will be better able to use those free nutrients.
3) The problem with leaving lights on 24/7 is that you can over do it. As others have noted, there is a point when the tissue becomes at risk for oversaturation of oxygen, and it becomes toxic; Photoinhibition can be lethal in a short period of time.
2) You Will get more algae growth. Noones tank is totally void of nutrients, and without light as a limiting factor, algae will be better able to use those free nutrients.
3) The problem with leaving lights on 24/7 is that you can over do it. As others have noted, there is a point when the tissue becomes at risk for oversaturation of oxygen, and it becomes toxic; Photoinhibition can be lethal in a short period of time.
pjf
Premium Member
Too Much Light!
Too Much Light!
Here's an article, entitled "Too Much Light!" by Dana Riddle: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2004/feature.htm
Apparently, certain corals shut down photosynthesis during mid-day sun. These corals photosynthesize only during periods of lesser light such as mid-morning or mid-afternoon.
Too Much Light!
Here's an article, entitled "Too Much Light!" by Dana Riddle: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2004/feature.htm
Apparently, certain corals shut down photosynthesis during mid-day sun. These corals photosynthesize only during periods of lesser light such as mid-morning or mid-afternoon.
Similar threads
