Leaving lights off for a couple days??

[fishes2889]

There is a thread over on RC about it.

Link: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1078532

People having trouble with some algae and turning the lights off for days at a time. I dont know if it's the right way to do it but i wan to experiment a little to get rid of some nuisence algae myself. They say the corals dont suffer and that the coral reefs sometimes have several cloudy days in a row, so it would be like a simulation....

So who thinks i should try it?

Thanks for readin'
Steve

 

[JGoslee]

I've heard of people turning their light once a week to simulate a cloudy day. I'm not sure how corals would react to a few days of darkness. I would rather find out whats causing the algae than change my lighting times. JMO.

 

[Kigs!]

i read an article like that awhile back, and overall, people claimed that it had a positive effect on the corals; by all means...they had no way to prove that the corals enjoyed the day without the lights...but the results were corals opened up more, became more vibrant, and seemed to stretch out more due to a day of hunger. technically, it makes sense since it does indeed simulate the natural reef...but not in a sense that, without knowing the actual pattern of these 'days' without lights...it really wouldn't be accurate. agreeing with JGoslee... nuisance algae usually indicates excess nutrients in the water. WC and water test to narrow down whats not right should be the first step.

 

[fishes2889]

yea i have phosphates at: .01....

i have never been able to get those down....

 

[BigBadZoaDaddy]

This wi;; sometime induce corals like shroom and zoas to reproduce a bit, cause they are affraid they are going to dia and need there genes to be out there, so you may get some growth from stress after the light come back on, but if you push t to far it can be dangerous. And just cause the corals open huge and stretch doesn't mean they are happy?

I agree I would do everyother day water changesw/ RO, add a good clean up crew and urchin maybe a seahare. Fix the problem not try to but a band aid on it?

 

[bryan]

Definitely good for inducing growth spurts in most corals, but it's only a band - aid as BBZD mentioned.

Also, remember that most of our tanks are a very cloudy day by nature every day if you start comparing PAR levels, UV, and the like.

 

[fishes2889]

Yeah, i was pretty stupid on adding things to the tank that never needed to be added in the beginning and now havent recoverd from this small problem since. It's aminly been on 2 rocks for the longest time but, the coraline is startin' to get the best of it. So i will just keep plugging away with water changes and not adding anything i dont NEED to add...

Thanks guys

 

[fishes2889]

And after a day and a half of no light i see my Rasta's have reproduced and extra baby polyp each......YAY

But thats the end of no light days......maybe once a month or something.....

 

[got zoanthids?]

fishes, I have cut my photoperiod to 1.5 hour on 2 days per week and in no particular order and it has helped my zoas produce rapidly.

 

[fishes2889]

fishes, I have cut my photoperiod to 1.5 hour on 2 days per week and in no particular order and it has helped my zoas produce rapidly.

My own reason was not to make the zoos grow faster, it was to stop the hair algae on soe rock im having trouble with.

In any case, How much more are they growing than they were before?