# Tank lights : should they be turned off or left on?



## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

Hello everyone, I'm posting this question in other forum sights as well so i can get a great well rounded response and i appreciate all comments in case i don't get to thank-you personally... I post many questions all over as i'm learning for those that don't know me.... so here goes.
Tank lights. Should tank lights be turned off nighttime? Is it okay to leave the blue-light on overnight(i call it the blue light, lol) Should they all be turned off? I noticed in local fish stores they don't turn off the tank lights.
Also when i turn the lights on in the morning the fish freak out, almost like an electric shock, so the last few days i've been keeping the blue light on nighttime and they seem more calm....
Comments/thoughts?
wish my fish would eat..... grrrr,, thats in another forum
sheldon


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## characinfan (Dec 24, 2008)

fish_luva said:


> Tank lights. Should tank lights be turned off nighttime? Is it okay to leave the blue-light on overnight(i call it the blue light, lol) Should they all be turned off? I noticed in local fish stores they don't turn off the tank lights.
> Also when i turn the lights on in the morning the fish freak out, almost like an electric shock, so the last few days i've been keeping the blue light on nighttime and they seem more calm....


I think you should turn all your lights off at night. Fish (and plants, if you have them) synchronize their bodily functions in tune with light/dark cycles, just like people do. Would you like the lights on in your home all night, especially if you didn't have eyelids? I don't think so!

Just because some (not all) fish stores leave their lights on all night doesn't mean that it's good practice.

If your fish are freaking out when you turn the lights on in the morning, it's probably because they were asleep, and the lights going on woke them up suddenly. Have you tried turning on the room lights before the tank lights, or turning on a lamp near the tank a minute or so before turning on the tank lights? This way the fish can wake up more gradually. Also, if you turn the tank lights on at a consistent time every day, they will get more used to it, just the way that people who have an alarm clock going off at the same time every day start to wake up just before it goes off.

Good luck with your tank!

C.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

answered you on the other forum too...


> Mine shut off at night. if you don't want to "shock" em with light, have a low light room lamp turn on a bit before the tank light. That way it's kinda like sun rise as the light increases semi gradually.


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

When I turn off the lights at night, I turn on the room light first, then turn it off a few minutes after all the tank lights are off. This gives the fish some time to get to their sleeping places. There's usually some daylight by the time I turn the lights on in the morning.

When my fish are guarding spawn I sometimes leave a very dim light on in the room, so the fish can protect their eggs or fry from predators real (like snails) or imaginary. It seems to keep them on track, especially first time spawners.

Being very jumpy and easily startled is often a sign of too much nitrate, ditto, not eating. Are you keeping up those water changes? What's your nitrate level at now?


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

Riceburner said:


> answered you on the other forum too...


Great thanks again riceburner.... majority seems to say turn lights off at night and then slow increase in mornings such as a lamp.. this is what i will do....
cheers!!
sheldon


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

bae said:


> When I turn off the lights at night, I turn on the room light first, then turn it off a few minutes after all the tank lights are off. This gives the fish some time to get to their sleeping places. There's usually some daylight by the time I turn the lights on in the morning.
> 
> Being very jumpy and easily startled is often a sign of too much nitrate, ditto, not eating. Are you keeping up those water changes? What's your nitrate level at now?


Tks BAE once again,,,, i'll keep you updated on the tank through my personal email for sure... not for this forum but nitrates are now under control and the fish still are not eating... but will tell you about that later.......
Tks for comments on the lighting.. totally makes sense in league with everyone else.....
sheldon


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Fish,

As already mentioned about turning the room lights on first or a lamp close by. To add to that thought buy some cheap CHEAP (3 prong please) timers and plug one into the fish tank light and the second one into the lamp close by. Set the lamp close by I could guess 15-30mins before your fish tank light comes on so the fish have time to adjust slowly then the fish tank light comes on by timer and a few mins later the lamp near by turns off by timer. Overlap the timing so the fish have time to adjust to the light cycle.

You can get fancy multi-timer units but they cost a pretty penny. Tho they are more streamlined into a single unit but once again it's a high cost. Cheapest way to do this is by getting those timers cheap and use a overlap cycle. If your lamps are 2 pronge then the timers are as cheap as I've seen ~$2.xx. Tho 3 prong would be better and allow you head room for future use should you use it for fish or other items that use 3 prongs. IIRC It's about ~$5 or less for a 3 prong timer.


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

Heh aQua,,,, Another great suggestion from you and i will be doing that this coming weekend for sure.... Timers are outstanding because i don't have a lot of time in the morning and it would be nice for the fish to be woken up earlier before i turn on the tank lights.......
Awesome...
cheers!!!!
sheldon


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## DaFishMan (Dec 19, 2006)

I use timers as well for a consistent day/night cycle. Digital on the main plant tank, analog on the 2nd. You can get a digital for $10. when they're on sale, which is what I usually see the analogs go for. $2. ? Where do you guys shop ? lol.

When my angelfish & rams had eggs I did what Bae does and put a lamp by the tank to help them guard the eggs & fry.


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## Plaid (Nov 10, 2008)

You should definately turn lights off at night. A lot of fish sleep when the lights are out, and vice versa.

Here's an interesting article: 
http://www.springerlink.com/content/mg2500lj7577412g/

Read the abstract, if you wish. It boils down to the fact that fish, or at least convict cichlids and several others, "know" when night is coming, and time their activities likewise.

In my opinion, depriving fish of darkness is the same as depriving them of light.


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## qwerty (Dec 15, 2009)

> A lot of fish sleep when the lights are out, and vice versa.


By vice versa, are you implying that a lot of lights sleep when fish are out? 



> Read the abstract, if you wish. It boils down to the fact that fish, or at least convict cichlids and several others, "know" when night is coming, and time their activities likewise.


This is absolutely correct. Most fish are used to feeding during early morning and late afternoon hours. Most fish (bessides the nocturnal varieties) rest during the night, and many fish will hang around cooler waters during the brightest parts of the day when the sun is hot.

Periods of darkness are a definite necessity for easing stress and promoting natural behaviour. Early morning feedings, and late evening feedings are also _ideal_ in correlation to the lights on/off. Some aquarists use timed dimmers to simulate the rising/setting sun.

Not to mention 24 hour light periods are very welcoming to algae.


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

*thanks everyone for help on lighting*

hello everyone... thanks for all your help on my lighting questions... I have been doing the lamp first... then tank lights 30 mins later and at night... tank lights off, blue light on for 1 hour and boom... sleep time......

Will be investing in some timers to make this a wee bit easier..... BUT it's all working great......especially since my fish have returned to health......
Thank-you everyone
sheldon


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