lighting when curing live rock????

[acrouse]

How long do you leave lights on when curing new LR? If any at all. If someone has a schedule from when you first get it, until it is cured. I have flourscents, atinic, and LED lights, just not sure when, how long, and if to use!! I tried searching older threads but cannot get the search to work!! Any information would be greatly appreciated. I am a beginner and have read many conflicting theories and would like to hear from some tried and true schedules.

Thanks Jolene

 

[scrmbld33]

i did 4 hours four the first few weeks then 6 hours for a week then to eight, etc no probs or algae blooms

 

[Pete1399]

Some will say none during cycle and some say a couple hours. I am currently curing 85lbs and I am letting the lights run for 2 hours during the evening. Less is probably better or you run the risk of getting an algae outbreak. Algae needs light and excess nutrients to grow. You are providing the excess nutrients and bad bacteria with the new LR. Wait till your cycle is done in 2-4 weeks then turn on the lights. Also if you have rock only you do not need a lot of lighting (wattage) for corraline algae.

 

[bertoni]

Running the lights is a tradeoff. The algal growth (if any) can reduce the severity of the cycle, but you might also have pest algae spreading and taking root. Sometimes, such pests are hard to eliminate. Up to you.

 

[Danster]

I completly turned mine off and when everything was cured I began the lights alittle longer each day. It did well for me and no algae at all broke out.

 

[PatMayo]

I think that anything you can do to limit pest algea would be beneficial.

Regards,

Pat

 

[acrouse]

If I dont run the lights at all during the cycle, will everything else on my live rock dye? I'm not sure what lives through the cycle and what doesn't?? Will any of the corals come back if they turn white during the cycle? White does mean its dying correct? The tank does get some natural sunlight, not direct, just because of the tank placement-will this cause bad algea growth?

thanks again jolene

 

[bertoni]

You might lose some of the photosynthetic organisms, but the ammonia is likely more of a problem. A coral turning white often means bleaching, which can be fatal, but some do recovery.