Fuge light times

Reefinny · Mar 24, 2014

Hey all I have a stand alone fuge (20L with deep sand bed, mangroves and chaeto) for now growing in it and am using 24" T5 grow lights on it.

Okay here is my question. Everything says I should be on a different light schedule than my DT. Thing is my fuge is RIGHT next to my frag tank. I don't have room or space for it elsewhere.

Is it OK to keep on a light schedule that is same as my frag tank?

wuuzzzuuppp · Mar 25, 2014

The reason to keep it on a different schedule is it makes your PH more stable. When all your water is in the dark your PH will drop. Having a light on somewhere causes photosynthesis. Long story short is raises your PH. If you ran your fuge and frag tank together at opposite times of the DT you would be accomplishing this and keeping it more stable.

Reefing Madness · Mar 25, 2014

wuuzzzuuppp said:
The reason to keep it on a different schedule is it makes your PH more stable. When all your water is in the dark your PH will drop. Having a light on somewhere causes photosynthesis. Long story short is raises your PH. If you ran your fuge and frag tank together at opposite times of the DT you would be accomplishing this and keeping it more stable.

EFSleeper · Mar 25, 2014

Add he said above. My system has 0 dark time. I have my dt running 10 hour days. My five light comes on at the same time my dt goes off runs for 8 hours then as it goes off my sump light comes on and dosing begins. Yes it sounds bad but I have fish in my sump and they need light to. As to your fuge bring right beside your drag tank. Regardless of how it's looked at. They will both feed light off each other. The fuge is already pulling light from the frag tank so why not set them on the same schedule. Now I'm not saying your system wool thrive with always having lights in I'm your system. That is just my experience with my system.

Reefinny · Mar 26, 2014

Thanks. my problem is I like to hang out in my sump room with the frag tank and stuff... lol I think I spend more time in there than in front of the DT! I will start to gradually change over the times I have them on and get to an opposite cycle.

wuuzzzuuppp · Mar 26, 2014

You can have them switching to any time you choose. Have them switch like half way through the the time you are home so you can see both. Or more time on your frag tank if thats what you enjoy more. It doesnt matter when it switches. Make it work for you not the other way around