Opinion on my light timing

E

Ed Filip

has happy little fishies
Oct 23, 2005
25
0
0
Philadelphia
I've finally finished adding my Lunar light to my new tank and from what I've read, I set my timers up like this:

20 gal high, well planted.

55 watt compact flourescent 7:00 am till 8:00 pm
one hour darkness
0.75 watt lunar light 9:00 pm till 11:30 pm
darkness till morning

What do you all think? Yea or nay? Too little? Too much?

The darkness period is based on what the Dr Foster and Smith web site says about it taking a while for the moon to come out and a period of darkness might be good for the tank, but that might only be for saltwater. Is this something I should forget about?

Thanks,
Ed
 
i am unfamiliar with your tank setup? what is the purpose for the lunar lighting?

if the lighting emmits certain wavelengths, it will diminish the dark cycle of photosynthesis, which is when a plant actually grows.

if there is a thread you have that explains the decision more, then just link it to save yourself the trouble.

i might trim the light to 8a to 8p or even 9a to 8p since you have some viewing hours under the lunar.... plants do best with equal light/dark, in my experience. many tropical fish are native to latitudes of the world where the 12/12 hrs is the norm.

:cool:
 
The purpose of the lunar lights is for aesthetics and to see some nocturnal activity. My african glass catfish are very shy and come out only to eat and at night. Its not very bright so I didn't think it would interfere with the plant's photoperiod, but you have an excellent point about the wavelength. I think it was 620 nm (have to check). I have to look up my textbooks to see some wavelength charts to see if that is in a range that will impact plants. Why didn't I think of that?

I was worried about the 13 hrs of light. I thought it might be the upper limit. I'll take your post as a vote to cut it back to 12 hrs.

As for links, well, I just read a little here, a little there, seach topics, etc. I don't know if I can think of any links except for this one: Lunar light article

Thanks,
Ed
 
I see no problems with it as longs as your plants are happy. My lighting is on for 12 Hours (11A to 11P) but I do not have lunar lights. As for the period of darkness, I would not worry about it too much. Most fish will start to sleep and not work or care about the lunar lights. If you like it, keep it. If not, change it. But that is my $0.02 and I may be incorrect

Really, "lunar lights" (or LEDs as they really are I think) make viewing at night more appeasable (sp?) but still allows for fish and plants to "sleep". For freshwater they are pointless from anything but aethestics. However, for some saltwater, the lunar lights ARE necessary because some types of coral or fish or something blooms or spawns only in moon light. Something like that.

Just my $0.02

Aries
 
Ed Filip said:
Why didn't I think of that?
Click to expand...

thats the reason i love the forum as a learning medium soo much.... someone is gonna catch the finer points and flex a little knowledge. makes it fun for all.

620nm is not particularly absorbative according to the chart i'm looking at (Biology, Campbell, 6th ed., p183).

but just to be safe, i'd say 10a-8p, normal; 745- 11 lunar. makes for some overlap, and the plants will get filtered light in the morning.
 
indiginess said:
If the lighting emmits certain wavelengths, it will diminish the dark cycle of photosynthesis, which is when a plant actually grows.
Click to expand...

I REMEBER THIS FROM HI-SCHOOL:

The photosyntesis cycle, has two phases: light and dark. In the light period (when oxigen is released) it is necesary a correct wavelength that resembles the sunlight. The dark part of the cycle (sugar production, growing) does not require light, and may be started even when the sun is glowing. This means, if a plant requires to do its dark cycle when the lights are on, light will be ignored.

This is how I remember my teacher explaning us how plants do her complete cycle when exposed to nocturnal light, such as the street lights.
 
Me again. I built a few weeks ago a moonlight using some leds and a power transformer. The tank now has a dimmed blue light for my viewing pleasure, and the nocturnal fish come out with no problem.
 
patoloco said:
This means, if a plant requires to do its dark cycle when the lights are on, light will be ignored.

This is how I remember my teacher explaning us how plants do her complete cycle when exposed to nocturnal light, such as the street lights.
Click to expand...

i refuse to believe that plants don't suffer without adaquate 'lights out' time. if you are doubting whether an hour matters, or 'lunar lighting' that is different.

the lighting your teacher mentioned are probably tungsten or sodium lights. i'm looking for the spectographs, but keep running to astronomist who don't wanna share. the difference between the sun and some distant bulbs is not an adequate comparison to an aquarium environment.
 
just caught something.

the light reaction does release oxygen, but the glucose synthesis happens also (not sugars in the dark). when the plant releases CO2, it also breaks down the sugars for growth. (ATP release)

yellow light has little effect on photosynthetic reaction. if you are talkin nm's.

and there is no "correct wavelength that resembles the sunlight"... sunlight is all wavelengths.
 
Whether or not there is a dark period prior to moonrise depends entirely on the moon. The moon has no relation to the solar light cycle - it can be out in the daylight, at dawn, at dusk, or during the night.

If you want a lunar timer, they are available, but are quite $$.
 
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