Can lights be ran over chaetomorpha 24/7?
- Thread starter JustinW
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You can but I wouldn't. Photosynthesis does need a rest. IMO. ANd its better for the DT.
Slightly high nitrates can be best dealt with with water changes.
Slightly high nitrates can be best dealt with with water changes.
cracker
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If I may butt in with a question,my reef tank sits on an open stand. If I run the fuge light at night, will the light bleeding out around bother the corals? I wonder if they require some hours of complete darkness. Thanks
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
Well there's that PH stabilization that happens when you run your fuge lighting on an opposite light schedule than your DT lights.
Chaeto, as with any macro algae, needs some dark period to repair cell structure as it grows.
So I'd say some down time, how long? I'm not sure.
Chaeto, as with any macro algae, needs some dark period to repair cell structure as it grows.
So I'd say some down time, how long? I'm not sure.
CoralNerd
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Ok I read two of the three links, and I wouldn't be concerned with what Randy said in the second link "Chaetomorpha shows a 25% drop in photosynthesis when exposed to the higher pH."
The study indicated ph at 8.7...wow mine never gets even close to that.
The study indicated ph at 8.7...wow mine never gets even close to that.
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How high are your nitrates? If they're significantly high I doubt lighting your fuge 24/7 is going to resolve the issue. If they're only slightly high then it may help. I've had nutrient spikes in the past and extended my fuge light by a few hours and it seemed to help. That being said, i also changed my filter socks more often, upped my carbon dosing and added GFO (PO4). You may also consider doing larger water changes, if you do them at all...
Ou8me2
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It really depends on the tank I suppose. I'm no expert but BRS is doing a 4 part series on growing Chaeto and the just released the first part a few days ago. They started out running 24/7 but experienced significant GHA growth running them 24/7. I tried running mine 24/7 and it pretty much killed almost half of what I had growing. Just because you high nitrates doesn't mean Chaeto will grow either. I tried one of those LED hydro blubs with only blue and red and it failed hard. I went to Menards and got a Sylvania 6500k daylight bulb and in one day the die-off stopped and the Chaeto turned a dark healthy green. I do about 12 hours opposite of the tank light schedule.
I did ask them on youtube how much light they did daily and they replied with this response. " Hey there! We started the BRS160 with the fuge lights on 24/7 but kept running into issues with hair algae outbreaks. Once we changed the light to a 12hrs cycle, the GHA went away and our chaeto took off!
"
I will say I experienced significant algae growth running them longer also but only in the refugium chamber and it wasn't GHA but again it was ugly. I didn't have a spot of algae in the tank though.
YMMV
I did ask them on youtube how much light they did daily and they replied with this response. " Hey there! We started the BRS160 with the fuge lights on 24/7 but kept running into issues with hair algae outbreaks. Once we changed the light to a 12hrs cycle, the GHA went away and our chaeto took off!
"I will say I experienced significant algae growth running them longer also but only in the refugium chamber and it wasn't GHA but again it was ugly. I didn't have a spot of algae in the tank though.
YMMV
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Damon
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It needs a bit of a break.. I think i'm all of my tests, keeping it on, over 16 hours, I experienced the most issues with slowing growth, hair algea, and the slight discoloration.. The hair algea, it always seems for me to coincide, of course with setting up a system, or, if I add new uncured rock.. But running 24/7,or even if say over 20 hours and your border on diminishing return..
My buddy and I, both with our lights (he has my old Mars 300, and I have the viparspectara 600), start at 8 hours and work our way up.. The other thing when you get into the higher lighting, as they said, is you do have the potential to strip nitrates.. Very, very easy.. Phosphates aren't as easy, but you can still keep them low..
But then again, all of this is subjective on the type of lighting your running.. Lower power, you may be able to get away with it (I've pretty much always run high power of some sort)..
My buddy and I, both with our lights (he has my old Mars 300, and I have the viparspectara 600), start at 8 hours and work our way up.. The other thing when you get into the higher lighting, as they said, is you do have the potential to strip nitrates.. Very, very easy.. Phosphates aren't as easy, but you can still keep them low..
But then again, all of this is subjective on the type of lighting your running.. Lower power, you may be able to get away with it (I've pretty much always run high power of some sort)..
Greasemonkey13
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I run my lights for 12 hours on my sump (1xradion xr15pro)and 12 hours on display tank (2xradion xr30pro)
KTownReefer
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American reef has a video on YouTube where this reefer runs his fuge light for 10hrs on and 2hrs off 10hrs on 2hrs off and so on. You may want to check out that video. I've been doing that and my macro algae is doing great. The video is called How to set up a Refugium.
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Any living organism needs rest, in my opinion. I'm running 16h on, and 8 off during the day when my main display lights are on.
BluewaterLa
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I agree with this statement among the others who have chimed in with similar comments about rest, breaks or cell regeneration.
Plus anything photosynthetic needs a dark period that is not only science but proven in nature as well.
While corals and algae are taking light producing enzymes and oxygen they do need to exhale once in a while.
I will agree with the type / strength of your fuge light will have a factor in how long it will be optimal to run your photo period versus dark.
reefsaver
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Many Plants and Algae can handle a 24/7 Light cycle fine, the biggest problem with running 24/7 lighting is the Biome could lose some diversity, no night cycle will kill and even prevent biomass building in the refugium. It's like getting a plant, sticking it under 24/7 light, the plant will grow, and it'll grow fast but if it's planted in soil, the 24/7 lighting will kill the life in the soil, similar to what I'm saying.
