lights on during cycle

[Remmers]

What is a good rule of thumb, when it comes to leaving your lights on during the cycle?

When I first had a s/w tank, i was leaving them on all the time and had red algae.

This time I want to make sure I do everything is correct as possible.

I have a 90 gallon with led's ( have to look up the brand)

There is nothing but live sand and live/dead rock in there.


Thanks

Rich

 

[SGT_York]

Having the lights on will help speed up the cycle by converting the nutrients into algaes, or other photosynthetic organisms. Down side is then you have to deal with the algaes.

IME any benefits for keeping the lights off evaporate when you do turn the lights on and have to deal with the nutrients anyway.

My opinion (there is no correct) is turn the lights on.

 

[MondoBongo]

you can leave them off during the cycle, or on, either way is no big deal.

i ran mine during my cycle mainly to get used to the equipment, and how much heat it would add (at the time i was running MH), also i didn't know any different.

LEDs won't add much, if any, heat to the tank, so no concerns there.

there isn't really a huge benefit (or drawback) to running them during the whole cycle. they won't really add much to it, except algae.

 

[snorvich]

Irrelevant.

 

[Remmers]

Thanks

I will just keep them on the timer that they are on.


Rich

 

[jrp1588]

Having the lights on will help speed up the cycle by converting the nutrients into algaes, or other photosynthetic organisms. Down side is then you have to deal with the algaes.

IME any benefits for keeping the lights off evaporate when you do turn the lights on and have to deal with the nutrients anyway.

My opinion (there is no correct) is turn the lights on.

You don't really want the algae to be processing the ammonia though. You want the nitrifying to be dealing with it. Either way, it doesn't make much difference.