I keep my lights on 24 hours and plants are perfect and no algae?

D

Dfoster111

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Jan 16, 2006
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I have a 58 gal tank (36" x 18" x 22") and I have a double 36" strip light and a double 24" light strip so I figure about 100 watts.
I keep the lights on 24 hours, and the fish seem to be healthy (Tang. tank-Calvis's & compressiceps) and the plants do awesome and I have NO algae what so ever.
Now I do have some hardy plants (Jungle val, 3 different kinds of Crypt.) about every 6 months my plants multiply, and I have to remove about half of them and give them away.
I keep the water about 78 deg., ph is probably around 7, and I do 25% waterchanges every other week. Sometimes I go about a month or so.
I run a Fluval 304 on the tank loaded up with Bio media and have the foam pads in there.

Every one I have talked to says that, it is not good for the fish or plants to keep the lights on 24 hrs, but I don't want to change it since I have had an awesome looking tank for 5 years now. Why fix it if it is not broken?

My question is: Is this truely bad (or stressful) for the fish?
I will take some pictures and post them tomorrow.
 
I think most fish can get used to whatever lighting situation you put them in. However, in the normal scheme of things, there is 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. This is what most plant and animal creatures are inherently used to, so I assume it is what makes them happiest.

I'm no expert on photosynthesis, but I've read that it is a 2-part process. The 1st part is Light Dependent and the 2nd part is Light Independent. Evidently the 2nd part has to do with the creation of enzymes and nutrients that are important to the plant. So, even though your plants are thriving with 24 hour light, they might benefit even more from a few hours of dark. ....and your electric bill will benefit too :thm:
 
I use 24/7 lighting for some veggie filters with no ill effects. I do have some reservations about its use with animals, so am trying that on a more limited scale. Snails have certainly not been harmed by 24/7 lighting, and I am starting to play with shrimp. I want my fish active on a schedule which coincides with mine, so their lights are timed to do that and not to match whatever their wild timing might have been. But testing them with 24/7 light is a long way off for me.
 
If you see your fish "sleeping" during any time of the day, I'd assume they've adjusted to having the lights on all the time. Mine always change their behaviour from swimming around, to resting in one spot continually with no movement when the lights go out. If your fish do that, then I guess they're ok.
 
Galaxie said:
I'm no expert on photosynthesis, but I've read that it is a 2-part process. The 1st part is Light Dependent and the 2nd part is Light Independent. Evidently the 2nd part has to do with the creation of enzymes and nutrients that are important to the plant. :thm:
Click to expand...

As I remember biology, photosynthesis is the production of glucose which requires light and is referred to as the "light cycle" during which oxygen is the biproduct. For the plants to use the glucose just like in our bodies the glucose is "burned" (combined with oxygen) and the products are energy for the plant (stored in a phosphate molecule) and carbon dioxide as a by product. Since light is not required this is sometimes refered to as the "dark cycle". The dark cycle occurs 24/7 regardless of light, and photosynthesis can only occur in the presence of light.

As for the fish, I agree that they seem to adapt to whatever light conditions are present.
 
Here is a picture of my 58 gal tank.
I plan on moving everything over to a 125, I will have 2 watts per gallon, and am debating on getting a co2 system.
Also I will probably start shutting my lights off at night.

resizedimg0344tank17my.jpg
 
Nice tank! Looks like everybody's lovin' life.

Mark
 
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