aznt1217

Forever Noob
Location
Bayside
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Given that most of us don't have trust funds (at least I don't), we all have to work. I am curious... does anybody run and inverse light cycle (lights off in the day time and then lights on at night?).

I ask this because when I get home it's always sleep time for my fish (BLUE LED'S on). I want to be able to see them so I am wondering what would occur if I left the lights on at night and in the daytime have them off.
 

h20 freak

Advanced Reefer
Location
PA =(
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I guess if the room the tank in isn't to bright during the day so it feels like night for them.or maybe you just make lights out and lights on later.
 

Tangs Rule

Advanced Reefer
Location
Staten Island
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My lights go on at 7 pm (actinic for an hour) and then my other bulbs go on at 8 pm. At 5 am my white lights go off and at 6 am my acticins go off and my leds go on.

Both my fish and coral do not seem to mind. My tank is also in a basement with 1 tiny window so it's pitch black during the day and night.
 

junglebase

Will always be a Newbie..
Location
Jersey City
Rating - 99.4%
166   1   0
I let my lights go on around 2 pm and then lights off at 10-11pm... at least i get to enjoy the veiw after i get home from work for a couple of hours
 

ClosetFishGeek

Advanced Reefer
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It will work...I have my reef in my garage and have been doing this schedule for over 9 months now with great results. Now remember my garage is pitch black during the day with an occasional light entering in...but not a consistant light nor frequent. This will be the hardest thing to control unless it is in a basement or an area that does not have light.
 

wimby

C&S Miracle Makers
Location
Plainview L.I.
Rating - 100%
80   0   0
My lights go actinic at 2pm -10pm daylights 2:30-9:30 on all tanks. 1 tanks in basement dark and 1 tank in a lighted room no problems at all. Fish and coral seem fine and all. When I'm home in the day I rarely see the fish swimming around till the lights come on.
 

JonnyIce

Used as bait
Rating - 100%
22   0   0
I was actually going to bring something up about this... my lights are on from about 12:30pm - 10pm...There is some indirect sunlight that creeps in, but doesn't seem to effect the fish or corals much...the clowns are still doing their sleeping swim.
 

KathyC

Moderator
Location
Barnum Island
Rating - 100%
200   0   0
I would think that to make a radical change like this it would be best to do it in 1 hour (at most?) increments until you get it to where you want it.
Suddenly turning day into night and vice versa would be rather stressful to the corals as well as the fish.

IMO, a change over a two week period would be far healthier :)
 

aznt1217

Forever Noob
Location
Bayside
Rating - 100%
191   0   0
Yea I totally figured that too. I didn't make that big of a change. I had my light set up like this:

7:30 AM - 7 PM, T5's are on
10:30-2:00 - 250 W MH Comes on
5:00-7:00 - 250 W MH Comes on again
The rest of the time... nighty night

Now I have it set up at 10:30 AM - 10 PM T5's are on, Metal Halide 5-10 PM
 

greggnyce

Advanced Reefer
Location
Bellport, NY
Rating - 100%
16   0   0
I run my tank from 6-2am, kwh are cheaper after 8 so I figured why not save some money. My tank does get some light during the day but everything seems to be ok with it. Why would you have to do it gradually? people turn their lights off for days when battling algea and turn them on when it is over. Do you think it will effect the fish? If you left the lights off one day and then change the cycle it would be lights on as normal when they come back. Not really sure though.
 

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