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</a></STRONG></DIV><H1>How long should the lights be on for?</H1><DIV id=Qtextbox><P><STRONG>Author: carneira</STRONG><BR><BR>I've seen a lot of different advice from lots of people lately about this.

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For a planted aquarium, 5x2x2, with various fish (cichlids and a couple of others), how long should I be looking at having the lights on every day?

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I have a timer, so I can turn it on or off in 15min periods all day. The issue is:

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I wanna have the tank on at 7am - so I can feed at 7:30 before i go to work.

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I get home at 6, and would like to have the light on till about 11pm (when I go to bed most nights).

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so the questions are:

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1. How long total "lights on" every day?

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2. Is it okay to turn the light off during the day for a couple of hours (so I can keep them on till later)?

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Any ideas?

</P></DIV><H2>Replies »</H2><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: emp1re</STRONG><BR><BR>If u have your light on from 7am to 11pm that 16 hours of light.

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having such a long period of lights may cause cloudiness of the water and promotes algae growth.

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i suggest 10-11 hours of light duration. have the timer turn the light on at 11.30am and turn off at 10.30pm.

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u can feed the fishes without turning on the light in the morning and be able to inspect the fishes when u feed it at night.

</DIV><BR><BR></P></DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: meesterclarence</STRONG><BR><BR>Hi. I'd say anywhere between 8-12 hours per day is a good range. I leave my Cichlid lights for 10-12, and my salt water's from 8-10. Have been doing so for years, with great results. Good luck

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Paul

</P></DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: YeW2001</STRONG><BR><BR>I agree with Paul 8-10 hours a day is plenty.

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Saves on algae as well.

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A timer from Coles will set u back about $8. Worth the expense.

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<P><STRONG>Author: carneira</STRONG><BR><BR>Thanks for the help guys

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I have a timer and it works great.

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I have it set to be on now from 7 - 9am then 3 - 11pm

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</P></DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: MagicaDiSpell</STRONG><BR><BR>Hi carneira,

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I have a heavily planted tank that has lights on from about 8.30 to about midnight (or even a couple of hours longer, depending on when I decide to go to sleep). I have never experienced cloudiness due to long light periods, biologically that doesn't make much sense. I am sure that firemouth's cloudiness has a different cause.

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As for algal growth: we used to turn off the lights for a couple of hours during the day and that certainly reduced algal growth. That was before we used plant supplements to promote plant growth. Since I am using Seachem florish and florish iron, I leave the lights on for the entire period and have no algal growth to speak of. If you have a planted tank and you maximize plant growth, then the algae will have nothing to grow on.

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