starting a new tank

[Mr.Potter]

I am in the process of setting up a new 150 gal tank and I was told that while I am cooking the rocks that I should take it slow with the lights, a few hours to start and then increase it a couple hours every few days. is this really required? I am running actinic and metal halide.
a second question I have is how do most people deal with the increased humidity in the house from a larger tank? besides a dehumidifier has anyone come up with a solution?

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

1) Do you have anything in there that is light dependent? Clams? Corals? Algae? If nothing actually needs light to survive, save you some bucks and keep them off. Even if there is fish in there they don't need it. You most likely will have enough ambient light from lamps in the room to keep them happy. It is not essential to have lights for a tank with nothing in it that needs it. There is also no acclimiation period to anything that does not need light. Granted, they might be a little skiddish if you went from 1 month of basic lights on for 8 hours a day to a wholloping metal halide the next day for 12 hours. You just might want to run the halide for a few hours a day and increase it by a couple more hours the day after that so the fish aren't always scared when you turn it on.

2) Fans and windows mainly. Not many people notice drastic humidity with anything in the 150g range.

 

[Mr.Potter]

thanks Travis. but my question is while setting up the new tank does it matter to the rock in any way about the lights? I was told that if I start to fast with the lights that I could get alot of alge growing.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

That was my answer. No need for lights unless you have stuff like Clams, Corals, Anemones, etc. If you don't have it, you don't need the lights. Lights on or off will not effect anything. Turning your lights on suddenly is not going to cause algae to grow. If there is nutrients and light, regardless of how quick you are with the lights, it will still grow. If you don't have the extra nutrients, then you should be fine. You won't see algae overnight.