Lighting at night? Thoughts?

SeymourDuncan · Jun 14, 2013

Have any of you out there ever had a reef tank that was lit at night and dark in the day? Some people don't have aquariums because they think it could be bad on the livestock?

Possible benefits:
Cooler tank during summer
Something to look at besides TV!

Given a room with no sunlight would this be ok or harmful?

Go!

"Live like tomorrow already happened. Yesterday is only 3 days ahead. Today will be here soon."

AZDesertRat · Jun 14, 2013

Sure.
I am on a time of day electrical rate so it is cheaper to run it later in the afternoon and into the night, plus thats when I get home from work and can view it. It really does not matter what time you run your lights as long as you have a set schedule or cycle.

I used to run the lights during the day but hated when they shut off and I still wanted to admire things so made the switch. The bonus was my electrical bill dropped between $35 and $50 a month right off since I still had MH and VHO lighting and a chiller at the time. The switch to LED dropped it even further!

CrazyEyes · Jun 14, 2013

A buddy of mine was just asking this the other day, he works 3rd shift so he never really got to see hit tank lit up. Just as explained, as long as it's a set schedule I don't think it matters if you run them from 10am-8pm or 8pm-6am. Plus like said, if you're running MH it would probably benefit alot heat wise.

SeymourDuncan · Jun 14, 2013

No excess algae? That's my only concern.

"Live like tomorrow already happened. Yesterday is only 3 days ahead. Today will be here soon."

chort55 · Jun 14, 2013

SeymourDuncan said:
No excess algae? That's my only concern.

The tank gets the same amount of light, why would time of day effect the amount of algae that would or would not grow LOL

EVEN if your argument was that well when the lights are on during the day with the sunlight that the tank gets that light from the sun too.... it still would get it during the day and then tank lights at night. I have always ran my tank from 3pm to midnight and never had an issue.... and I am home more often at those times so if something were to happen the odds of being home to catch it quicker or prevent a major disaster would increase as well.

totion · Jun 14, 2013

I work from 10 pm to 6 am. Mt tanks lights are on from 1 pm to 1 am. I have light blocking curtains in my room because I sleep until 2 or so pm. My tank is doing great and the light blocking curtains are awesome for keeping it dark in my room. Was thinking about making the schedule 3 pm to 3 am so I can enjoy it longer on my days off.

Dowtish · Jun 14, 2013

I run mine from with the blues starting at noon, full daylights at 2pm until 8pm, then blues until 10pm. Always have, never an issue.

SeymourDuncan · Jun 14, 2013

Some rooms get even tiny amounts of sunlight, my only thought as to why algae may be an issue.

"Live like tomorrow already happened. Yesterday is only 3 days ahead. Today will be here soon."

Reefing Madness · Jun 14, 2013

I run mine like DesertRat. In the Desert here its bloody hot in the day, and the electrical bill will kill you. Also, I work during the day, no reason to have the lights on when I'm not home to view it.

SeymourDuncan · Jun 14, 2013

Great! That's probably good for Evap as well for you guy!

"Live like tomorrow already happened. Yesterday is only 3 days ahead. Today will be here soon."

tst400 · Jun 15, 2013

Reefing Madness said:
I run mine like DesertRat. In the Desert here its bloody hot in the day, and the electrical bill will kill you. Also, I work during the day, no reason to have the lights on when I'm not home to view it.

Yup same here

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

jservedio · Jun 15, 2013

My lighting period has sunrise at 2pm and "moonrise" at 2am because I am a night person. I never had a problem with algae at all (my rocks are spotless!) and my tank is doing great. My reverse photoperiod sump light is more closely related to regular daylight. Never had a problem at all. No sense to have your lights on while you are at work and have them going out just as you are getting home. Shift the cycle so you can enjoy your tank more and as a bonus save a little on your electric bill. I never had the heat problem because my apartment is never above 75 during the day.

Squishie89 · Jun 15, 2013

Dowtish said:
I run mine from with the blues starting at noon, full daylights at 2pm until 8pm, then blues until 10pm. Always have, never an issue.

Mine is so close to yours. White light 2-10 blue 1:30 to 10:30

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

SeymourDuncan · Jun 15, 2013

I think I might try this after I black out my fish room. It is a 6x15 enclosed brick porch with 9 windows total. The hottest it gets is about 80 in the room and the tanks are 75. I have a fan always blowing the top of my 90, and its sump is down in the basement where it cools nicely. At night I usually open the door and let the smell of the ocean pour out into the city and also guiding any wasps that somehow keep making their way into my house. I learned NOT to kill them or they all come after you.

This information will lead to LFS that are open later I hope! I always seem to want to go at 3 in the morning for some reason. Why the heck do pet stores have the same hours as regular businesses? Are we not at work? How can you sell me something if I am at work or the kids we want to spoil are in school? When I groomed dogs I worked 9-5 and people usually had to drop the dogs off early and pick them up after 5. I think the LFS owners want to have all day to stare at their aquariums uninterrupted and use the pet stores to launder money because in business class we learned that customers are the people who pay you for things. I'll now put down the coffee and step away from the conspiracy.