Turning off Your Lights 2 Days a Month

[akabryanhall]

I remember reading about a reefer who only kept LPS and softies who turned her lights off completely for 2 days every month for algae control. She said she never lost anything. I tried this a couple times to no ill effects when I had my biocube. Anyone ever try this as well or have it as part of their regular regimen?

 

[dougers31]

I've heard of someone doing it for up to 3 days in a row and when the lights came back on the corals looked great...

 

[akabryanhall]

I know mine made it through fine, I am sure this is not something to try if you have LPS.

 

[josepy1]

i went as long as 2 complete light cycles three weeks ago, untill i couldnt take it anymore. Everything was fine, alittle less algea

 

[akabryanhall]

Do you have sps in your tank or is it all lps and softies? Would like to know if sps can handle it.

 

[ronniem]

I have done this for two days at a time with SPS, LPS and Softies with no ill effects. The positive was that the water seems to be clearer after the dark period.

 

[Alattner]

i had my lights off for three days in a row to kill hair algae and did this a couple times of a few month time period. only time i turned them on was to feed and check out my fish for a few minutes. had no ill effects on anything and no more hair algae sense

 

[akabryanhall]

I have a bit of an algae problem, nothing too serious, thinking I may do this once or twice, see if it helps!

 

[swannyson7]

Do you have sps in your tank or is it all lps and softies? Would like to know if sps can handle it.

I went for a couple 72 hr blackouts on my 180 which has plenty of SPS to battle dinoflagellates and there were no ill effects. Didn't do anything for the dinos though.... that job was saved for H2O2 dosing!

 

[Dave3112]

I totally black out my tank for 3 days every other month with no ill effects. I have LOTS of LPS as well as SPS. The only thing I have to watch out for is the PH drop during that time since I lost my macro in my fuge I don't run a reverse light cycle. So I have to buffer the PH when I do this.

 

[fishbrain]

I do it every time I see a little cyano. It never hurts aq thing.

 

[Paul_N]

I always do it. Not on a regular schedule but probably once every 2 months. I had all sps and clams when I started doing it. No issues at all. Like Dave said, the only thing I did different was monitor ph.

 

[akabryanhall]

Very cool thanks for the info guys, I think I may do it every once in a while then!