Any problem with too much light?

[Ricox]

My tank is currently running on a fade in and fade out 12 hour schedule and I would love to have it on earlier in the morning and later in the evening as I am out most of the middle section of the day on weekdays so it would be good if I could get more viewing time under lights? Anyone feel free to input!

 

[Woodyman]

My tank is currently running on a fade in and fade out 12 hour schedule and I would love to have it on earlier in the morning and later in the evening as I am out most of the middle section of the day on weekdays so it would be good if I could get more viewing time under lights? Anyone feel free to input!

To much light is typically worse than to little..

What type of tank/inhabitants do you have?

You can offset the lighting schedule to match your time at home schedule.

My tank lights don't come on until 11am, this way they can be one from when I get home to when I go to bed.

 

[BlennyTime]

You could split the light into 2 viewing periods, one in the morning and one in the evening. It doesn’t have to be on all day continuously.

 

[Ricox]

Ok, just wondering what the problem is of leaving it on for longer? Because my tank is in the main room so there are usually other lights on during those times anyway? Will it stress out the corals and fish if they don't have enough rest time with the main lights on?

 

[Woodyman]

Ok, just wondering what the problem is of leaving it on for longer? Because my tank is in the main room so there are usually other lights on during those times anyway? Will it stress out the corals and fish if they don't have enough rest time with the main lights on?

Yes corals and fish should have some periods of darkness. Too much light will bleach and kill corals faster than not enough light. Generally you don't have to worry about ambient light unless you're blasting the tank with it.

 

[Ricox]

To much light is typically worse than to little..

What type of tank/inhabitants do you have?

You can offset the lighting schedule to match your time at home schedule.

My tank lights don't come on until 11am, this way they can be one from when I get home to when I go to bed.

Right now my tank only has a pair of clowns but will be adding more fish and eventually corals.

 

[Ricox]

The lights are two AI hydra 26s on a Red Sea e260.

 

[Woodyman]

Right now my tank only has a pair of clowns but will be adding more fish and eventually corals.

With just fish you don't have that much of an increased risk, more light will lead to more nuisance algae growth but it won't kill your clowns, but you should still give them several hours without light. Corals or not.

 

[Ricox]

With just fish you don't have that much of an increased risk, more light will lead to more nuisance algae growth but it won't kill your clowns, but you should still give them several hours without light. Corals or not.

Ok, thanks, I actually probably don't mind having a bit of nuisance algae growth in preparation for when I look to add a small bristle tooth and foxface right now it is literally at zero. However, when I get corals how long do you recommend me have the lights on for?

 

[Ricox]

I usually leave the house at 7:30 and I am back at 4:30 - 5:00.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Ok, thanks, I actually probably don't mind having a bit of nuisance algae growth in preparation for when I look to add a small bristle tooth and foxface right now it is literally at zero. However, when I get corals how long do you recommend me have the lights on for?

Consider the amount of light in the ocean... Aim for no more than 12 hours of "high" lighting... You can still ramp up and down but remember that is usually for our benefit, not the corals' (example, if I ramp down my whiter light and have mostly blues in the evening, if the blues are still at high intensity, the corals are still getting lots of light and 14-18 hours of high intensity is probably going to be too much for a lot of coral.)

 

[Woodyman]

Ok, thanks, I actually probably don't mind having a bit of nuisance algae growth in preparation for when I look to add a small bristle tooth and foxface right now it is literally at zero. However, when I get corals how long do you recommend me have the lights on for?

You will find many recommendations for that. Personally though mine are on for 11.5 hours.

There are many answers here.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I usually leave the house at 7:30 and I am back at 4:30 - 5:00.

Then have your lights turn on at 11 or noon and turn off between 10 and midnight. (Or some similar schedule)

 

[Ricox]

Ok so don't have it on in the morning?

 

[Woodyman]

Ok so don't have it on in the morning?

I don't have mine on in the morning.

 

[Ricox]

ok thanks, I will aim for 10 am to 10 pm for my light schedule.

 

[Woodyman]

Ok so don't have it on in the morning?

What time do you have them set to come on now? Just adjust the schedule within the app/controller to come on a few hours later so they stay on more in the evening when your home.

 

[Ricox]

Right now it is 7:30 to 7:30 just so I see them come on in the morning.

 

[Woodyman]

ok thanks, I will aim for 10 am to 10 pm for my light schedule.

The actual time to fish/coral means nothing like it does to us. Just shoot for ~12 hours and you should be ok. Don't blast them with light all day either. But 7a-7p or 11a-11p doesn't make any difference to the fish or coral given both schedules have the same intensity and all you change is the timing of start/finish.

 

[Woodyman]

Right now it is 7:30 to 7:30 just so I see them come on in the morning.

I've got some ambient light in the morning as I'm getting ready, it's enough for me to see and make sure nothing catastrophic is going on. Then the tank light comes on a few hours later. This way I can enjoy the tank until I head to bed.