How long to on the lights?

[ibr_midian]

I personally on my lights for 7hrs. Tried 12hrs, was down with algae problem.

However, my 7hrs are on a timer basis. On for 3.5hrs and off for 4hrs and on for next 3.5hrs.

Is this fine?

[kemp]

what's the wattage of your light? How big is your tank? Are you having co2 injection into your tank?
I guess you pretty much need to feed us with as more information as you can

[AquaObsession]

Usually I do not do breaks

[|squee|]

Imho, having the lights turned on continously is much better than having the so-called siesta period, aka your method.

I see it as being interrupted rudely in the middle of a good meal.

I've also not seen any concrete proof that the siesta period works. Almost everyone turns on their lights for a continous period.

[danny]

I on my lights from 0800~0900hrs and from 1800~2345hrs. So that I can tale a look at the tank before going to work and when I got back from work.

[taysh75]

I personally on my lights for 7hrs. Tried 12hrs, was down with algae problem.

However, my 7hrs are on a timer basis. On for 3.5hrs and off for 4hrs and on for next 3.5hrs.

Is this fine?

Personally i dun like breaks also.

However, i on for 8 hrs straight starting from 2pm till 10pm so that i can view them when i back.

[clouser_minnow]

my fish have a 12 hour day. lights come on at around 9am and go off around 9pm.

[eddyq]

Ideally should follow the sun setting as in natural. But is not nice to see a darken planted tank when you comes home in the evening. So I do switch on via timer 4 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the evening.

Its your choice really.

[taysh75]

Ideally should follow the sun setting as in natural. But is not nice to see a darken planted tank when you comes home in the evening. So I do switch on via timer 4 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the evening.

Its your choice really.

Tot plants just follow the lighting? Wondering what will happen to the plants if brought to USA that has 12 hrs different from our timing?

Any ideas? Will plants have "jetlag"?

[richietay]

read that algae detest 'breaks', by doing so will help combat it. Don't know whether is it true?

for me, i turns on lights for a continous period.

[valice]

Algae are just more simplified versions of plants... If algae don't like breaks, I think plants will not like breaks too...

Algae will be due to mishandling of CO2 and imbalance of fertilisation... Check your CO2... Really...

[mtanec]

for optimal growth, still to a regime that is as close to our nature.. 8-10 hours of strong light without break is recommended..

if you have algae problem, it has to be controlled differently.. and not by adjusting to this lighting timing which will affect your plants in long run.