Full Spectrum, Solid Blue, or No Lighting at Night?

[backbayreef]

I actually put a “night light” near the frag tank so some fish won’t blindly run into the Haddoni’s death trap!!

 

[Tamberav]

I'm honestly trying to find a way to rationalize cycling lights between red, green, blue and white 24/7. I can't.

When in doubt, trying to mimic the ocean is a safe bet.

RGB tank!

fish be like

 

[Reefering1]

RGB tank!

Some of those computers are the most ridiculous things. 17 lit up fan that match the light up ram and a screen, playing your favorite gif, on the cpu. None of which made the computer better. To each their own. BUT, man some people have too much time on their hands..

 

[backbayreef]

Some of those computers are the most ridiculous things. 17 lit up fan that match the light up ram and a screen, playing your favorite gif, on the cpu. None of which made the computer better. To each their own. BUT, man some people have too much time on their hands..

You should see my control board & LED light strip under the tank! I got RGB going. Oh btw: the Hydros got the “Party Mode” - way cool. :)

 

[Tamberav]

Some of those computers are the most ridiculous things. 17 lit up fan that match the light up ram and a screen, playing your favorite gif, on the cpu. None of which made the computer better. To each their own. BUT, man some people have too much time on their hands..

Ya, that would be my husbands computer lol

but he would say I have too much time on my hands for having a reef tank

 

[Tamberav]

You should see my control board & LED light strip under the tank! I got RGB going. Oh btw: the Hydros got the “Party Mode” - way cool. :)

Maybe controllers with RBG and glowing power cables is what this hobby needs....

Some reactive glow acrylic on the sump...

 

[Reefering1]

 

[PharmrJohn]

Good lord lol. The animals in the tank, fish included, need a no lights at all period for health. Id say at least 10 hours of no light at all.


And the darker the better during this night time period. Minimize room light as much as possible.

Yeah. Fish have a circadian rhythm, just like we do. And it's mediated by sun up and sun down. Remove that rhythm and you end up with health issues.

I like a blue light set up on the whiter side if that makes sense. I try to hit the peaks where Chlorophyll A and B thrive.

 

[atomicandrew]

I run my lights 12 hours on and 12 off with a 1 hour ramp up/down. I have 4 54 watt T5's, 2 10k and 2 actinic, and 2 250 watt 10k metal halides. With 2 power compact 65 watt actinic. I see no benefit to run lights 24 hours unless your planning on a algea farm.

dang doggie dog. That is a cool light set up! I can only imagine what yer tank looks like. You got me drooling a little om myself...

 

[56longroof]

dang doggie dog. That is a cool light set up! I can only imagine what yer tank looks like. You got me drooling a little om myself...

It seems to be working good for me so far. The tank is only 4 months old and the frags have put on alot of growth.

 

[mboley]

Good lord lol. The animals in the tank, fish included, need a no lights at all period for health. Id say at least 10 hours of no light at all.


And the darker the better during this night time period. Minimize room light as much as possible.

Can you expand on your statements? I haven't heard this before, do you have any articles you can post? There's not a lot of moonless nights; a few per month at most.

 

[Reefering1]

Can you expand on your statements? I haven't heard this before, do you have any articles you can post? There's not a lot of moonless nights; a few per month at most.

Run your lights 24/7 and see what happens...

 

[mboley]

Run your lights 24/7 and see what happens...

So you can't provide any evidence of your claims. I thought so. I've been doing this for 30 years and never heard anyone say fish need total blackout nor have I read anything. I call BS.

I I have been running moonlight that whole 30 years. Nothing happened. What did I miss?

 

[Reefering1]

So you can't provide any evidence of your claims. I thought so. I've been doing this for 30 years and never heard anyone say fish need total blackout nor have I read anything. I call BS.

I I have been running moonlight that whole 30 years. Nothing happened. What did I miss?

I didn't make any claims but it seems to be common sense that darkness is part of natural cycle. This thread is in context to the op who was operating different channels of their light for the full 24/7, idk if you missed that?
If you're looking to quibble about "total" darkness and moonlight, then you should be able to provide documentation of how much moonlight actually gets to the reef for each phase of the moon to get the converstation going...(?) Or any "proof" to anything you say before demanding proof of someone else's statements, no?

 

[mboley]

I didn't make any claims but it seems to be common sense that darkness is part of natural cycle. This thread is in context to the op who was operating different channels of their light for the full 24/7, idk if you missed that?
If you're looking to quibble about "total" darkness and moonlight, then you should be able to provide documentation of how much moonlight actually gets to the reef for each phase of the moon to get the converstation going...(?) Or any "proof" to anything you say before demanding proof of someone else's statements, no?

I didn't ask for proof, I asked for evidence. Anecdotal or otherwise. I also didn't demand anything. Sorry I hurt your feelings for calling out your know -nothing post.

 

[Reefering1]

calling out your know -nothing post.

Which one is that?
You're losing track of the point. Op was operating lights for full 24hours. Ie- blue channel for 6 hours, then red channel for 6, then green for 6hrs, then white for 6hrs. He was told that the tank needs darkness too, that it shouldn't be lit all the time. You think he should have continued with his light schedule?

So your tank is well lit 24/7? You mentioned running moonlights..- what exactly does that consist of (what kind, how bright)? Are we talking a led or 2 dimly lit, or a t5 lighting up the tank overnight?

 

[Faurek]

I don't get if you are saying to leave lights on when you go to sleep or whatever, which in this case there is no reason for light, the corals need to rest too.
Or if you want to go blues when sun comes down until off time.
Personally never seen someone telling to keep lights at night unless in a refugium with inverted cycle.

 

[Faurek]

I should clarify that what I mean by full spectrum lighting I mean a rotation of blue lighting, green lighting, red lighting, yellow lighting and orange lighting.

Why would you do this? Sounds like a headache and do you even keep corals with that? Let the fish and corals sleep.

 

[sfin52]

Full blues for 2.5 hours in the morning and than slowly ramp color in. T5 come on about 1400 and off at 2200. All channels ramp down starting at 2000. All blue ramp down 2200-2300.

 

[sfin52]

I don't get if you are saying to leave lights on when you go to sleep or whatever, which in this case there is no reason for light, the corals need to rest too.
Or if you want to go blues when sun comes down until off time.
Personally never seen someone telling to keep lights at night unless in a refugium with inverted cycle.

My refugium runs 24/7.