lighting in correlation with pod growth in my fuge

[jlinzmaier]

Planning on keeping the lights on 24/7 for my fuge to prevent some nuisance algae growth in my display.

Does anybody know if keeping the lights on constantly affects the growth and reproduction of pods and other critters that live in a fuge? Do they need a dark period?

 

[trido]

IMO, and Im sure studies as well, have proven that almost all surface creatures (living with the sun) of the earth will thrive better with a more natural light cycle. I doubt that a 24 hour light cycle would have a noticable affect on your pod population though. :wink:

 

[jent46bow]

when I was determining my light cycle for my fuge I decided that a 24/7 light cycle will disrupt the pod population. I did not find any study or anything on it, but if you watch your tank all the pods come out at night to feed, and spend the day hiding. So if your 24/7 a number of things can happen. Maybe your pods will never come out to eat, or will eat so little that it will reduce there population size.

Also if they are always hiding deep in the rocks what good is a pod population in the fuge? You need them to come out where they current can take them out of the fuge and into the tank to be eaten.

 

[cindre2000]

Got a 15 gallon fuge under a 125. It has a Coralife T5 unit on it (2 NO bulbs, both 10K) that is on 24/7. I was just sitting staring at the fuge today and the walls sand, rock, and algae is covered in pods and worms, all sizes. They are doing fine.

 

[Anonymous]

FWIW, 24/7 lighting isn't necessary for your macro in your 'fuge. Most plants stop photosynthesizing at around 12-14 hours of daylight, so keeping the lights on all the time isn't all that productive.

Most people do a reverse light period, lights on the sump when off in the main tank which can help to keep the Ph of the water more stable.