Why do we turn our lights off?

[bearpeidog]

We all try to run our tanks as close to nature as possible, but for a reef tank, why not keep the lights on 24x7 and "œfeed" them. Does it become too much for them?

Forget about algae blooms and the like - has any tried running 24x7 say in grow out tanks?

I know it's a silly question to some degree and my fish need sleep and nocturnal creatures come out etc. Would certainly cure my PH fluctuations....

I'm certainly not advocating it - just curious if corals would grow better in that type of environment or do they "œsleep" as well.

 

[Daddi0]

I've heard the dark period is important. I have often pondered running my lights 8 hours on then 8 off and 8 on... Seems you could get 10.5 days into a 7 day week?
Cheers! Mark

 

[ThRoewer]

Corals build their skeletons at night. Without dark period they would simply die.

Fish also need a dark period for growth and regeneration.
There was a study done on anemonefish larva with 8h light, 16h light, and 24h light. The 8h group developed normal, the 16h group grew even faster, while the 24h group not only grew much slower than the other but also had significantly higher losses.

Maybe try yourself to forgo sleep and see how that goes...

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[hegeh]

They need to sleep too. They are animals , correct?

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[MondoBongo]

Maybe try yourself to forgo sleep and see how that goes...

maybe we just need to start using Monster Energy Drink reactors for our reefs? :lolspin:

 

[ClownReef®]

...because electricity in Texas in the summer is stupid expensive..LOL..

 

[OrionN]

My timer, one of those stupid mechanical timer, stuck on in my office tank. I am not there at night to know that it is on at night. After a short time, my fish went crazy, stressed and my coral all bleached. I almost did not find out what was wrong until it is too late.
My tank recovered after a few weeks.

 

[TwoShoesOrOne]

We all try to run our tanks as close to nature as possible,


I think you already know. But I would like to know why guys put exhaust pipe on their cars that look and sound like garbage can?

 

[TwoShoesOrOne]

Sex too

Sex too

They need to sleep too. They are animals , correct?

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It's not just sleep. They also use the lights out time for sex. I should know. My wife insists that the lights be off - and she's a dog!

 

[ThRoewer]

It's not just sleep. They also use the lights out time for sex. I should know. My wife insists that the lights be off - and she's a dog!

I don't know, but my fish all have sex during the day. And the anemonefish are real exhibitionists and don't mind others watching or filming them in flagrante.

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[Bpb]

Surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet. Photosynthesis is a two part process. Light cycle and dark cycle. It doesn't all happen when lights are on

During the light cycle the algae cells use light to produce ATP. During the dark cycle they use that ATP and CO2 to produce sugar for metabolic functions. It is part of respiration.

If you only provide light cycle, photosynthetic organisms would suffocate and be poisoned by the damaging free radicals as byproducts produces by excessive light.

Dark is essential. Equally as essential to light. Non-negoIt's when the actual growth and tissue repair happens. Non negotiable


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[OrionN]

The dark cycle in photosynthesis does not require light but it does not require darkness. Favorite question of professors in biology tests.
Plants can stand 24 hrs light without problem. Some animals can stand 24 hrs light without problem (mass produced chicken houses have light on 24 hrs and feed the chicks 24hr/day to increase their growth rate). Just some animal cannot stand the 24 hrs light. It does not have anything to do with photosynthesis light and dark cycle.

 

[Joe0813]

I can only imagine the amount if algae that would come out of having our lights on for 24 hours