24/7 light on Chaeto

[hart24601]

If you look up 24/7 weed, tomatoes or peppers you will see all sorts of people on forums claiming 24hr is best and no it's not. Now those plants are more complex than our algae, but it's frequently a matter of debate on plant forums. However enough people claim it gives them greater growth so it seems at least it's not harmful. But they also frequently recommend checking temps and making sure intensity is appropriate and some claim the desired growth type - 24/7 produces bushier shorter plants. No idea about any of that as I don't grow any of the above, but it's interesting to read.

 

[Magman]

@Magman

With the one exception of phytoplankton, all algae should be given a rest period from light. Caulerpa, not Chaetomorphy, has been run on a 24 hour light cycle because of its fast growing nature and tendency to go sexual and disintegrate.

Your question involved the display tank and would running lights 24/7 in refugium be detrimental to display. My question to you is why? What benefit do you expect?

I expected higher growth rate and pH stability. In the beggining there was some Caulerpa along with the Chaeto thus the idea of 24/7 lighting but now it is gone.

Reading all this debate I concluded in keeping a stable photoperiod reverse to the display tank and a little overlapsed

 

[Subsea]

I expected higher growth rate and pH stability. In the beggining there was some Caulerpa along with the Chaeto thus the idea of 24/7 lighting but now it is gone.

Reading all this debate I concluded in keeping a stable photoperiod reverse to the display tank and a little overlapsed

IMO, 16 hours is a good maximum photoperiod.

After reading your post, I found some current documentation on using chaetomorphy refugium as primary nutrient control for a reef tank. While it was not evident in video, the photoperiod was 12 hours. It is a video series produced by BRS.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/brstv-investigates-do-refugiums-work/

Not all macro is the same. Some are more messy than others. Soft fleshy algae will give off the most byproducts of DOC. Chaetomorphy the least DOC. All algae releases proteins, lipids and carbohydrates, which are DOC compounds.

 

[AlgaeBarn]

IMO, 16 hours is a good maximum photoperiod.

After reading your post, I found some current documentation on using chaetomorphy refugium as primary nutrient control for a reef tank. While it was not evident in video, the photoperiod was 12 hours. It is a video series produced by BRS.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/brstv-investigates-do-refugiums-work/

Not all macro is the same. Some are more messy than others. Soft fleshy algae will give off the most byproducts of DOC. Chaetomorphy the least DOC. All algae releases proteins, lipids and carbohydrates, which are DOC compounds.

I'm going to agree with Subsea on this. With the chaeto we grow, we do not keep it under 24 hour lighting. We grow under 100% indoor lighting and we have measured the rate of photosynthesis. It is faster with a dark period.

 

[AlgaeBarn]

@Magman We really believe in overlapping the day and night cycle for a refugium!

 

[Magman]

I believe

@Magman We really believe in overlapping the day and night cycle for a refugium!

This is a very strong conclusion indeed!! Thank you all for the replies!!

 

[Subsea]

@Magman We really believe in overlapping the day and night cycle for a refugium!

I have come to the conclusion that opposite photo period of refugium to tank is not only unnecessary but may even be harmful. I am interested in taking this discussion to BRSTV and see their thoughts on opposite light cycles between refugium & display.

What brings AlgaeBarn to overlapping light cycles?

 

[AlgaeBarn]

@Subsea what makes you think it is harmful? We recommend the overlapping light cycles to maintain a more stable, high pH 24/7. We are getting a very nice display tank in closer the end of the year, and its a topic we are going to address in our upcoming video series.

 

[Subsea]

@Subsea what makes you think it is harmful? We recommend the overlapping light cycles to maintain a more stable, high pH 24/7. We are getting a very nice display tank in closer the end of the year, and its a topic we are going to address in our upcoming video series.

Define overlapping light cycle.

Opposite light cycles dampens pH swings. I say it is unnessary to dampen pH swings. Possible harmful in the sense that it isn’t that way in nature.

 

[JohnL]

IMO, 16 hours is a good maximum photoperiod.

After reading your post, I found some current documentation on using chaetomorphy refugium as primary nutrient control for a reef tank. While it was not evident in video, the photoperiod was 12 hours. It is a video series produced by BRS.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/brstv-investigates-do-refugiums-work/

Not all macro is the same. Some are more messy than others. Soft fleshy algae will give off the most byproducts of DOC. Chaetomorphy the least DOC. All algae releases proteins, lipids and carbohydrates, which are DOC compounds.

Great discussion

 

[hart24601]

Fwiw my last harvest to give some away. 24/7 lighting. 70g display upstairs

 

[JohnL]

Fwiw my last harvest to give some away. 24/7 lighting. 70g display upstairs

Wow

 

[JohnL]

For those using 24/7, why have you chosen not to have a dark period?

 

[hart24601]

For those using 24/7, why have you chosen not to have a dark period?

For myself I just have not seen the need. I give away (if local) and sell excess here and on eBay and it seems like I grow more with 24/7. But I don’t measure input vs output I may well be with incorrect and 1hr dark, or 5hr or ?????? hr dark would produce more but the cost for me to run the light is minimal and with the amount of chaeto I sold last year “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” lol

 

[JohnL]

For myself I just have not seen the need. I give away (if local) and sell excess here and on eBay and it seems like I grow more with 24/7. But I don’t measure input vs output I may well be with incorrect and 1hr dark, or 5hr or ?????? hr dark would produce more but the cost for me to run the light is minimal and with the amount of chaeto I sold last year “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” lol

So you're looking for maximum growth?

 

[hart24601]

So you're looking for maximum growth?

I suppose I am, been a big fan of heavy food in, heavy export out for many years. I don’t try and max output for selling, it’s just better than tossing away.

 

[Junk]

Wow that was huge. I put a softball size in my fuge with an AI prime fuge light on 60%, 7 hours a day and it's about double the size it was, but my growth seems slow. I guess I'll be increasing.

 

[Spare time]

Hello,

I run my Fluval Sky led on my refugium 24/7 over some live rock and chaeto. My tank is relatively new but stocked. Will 24/7 light have any negative impact on my reef?

I run it 24/7. Algaebarn runs theirs 24/7.

 

[damsels are not mean]

For those using 24/7, why have you chosen not to have a dark period?

I bought a cheap clip on plant lamp with an internal timer from amazon that grows the chaeto well but unfortunately due to a very strange design flaw I still don't understand the reason for it cannot be run for 12 hours. It's either 4 or constant.

 

[jordan10]

Fwiw my last harvest to give some away. 24/7 lighting. 70g display upstairs

When was ur last harvest and how long does it Take to get that big?