# Night photoperiod?



## Boogerboy (Sep 23, 2008)

Since I only get to see my tank lit for about a half hour a day before I go to work, I was wondering if any of you ran on a later photoperiod e.g. 1pm-9pm and what, if any, effect this has had on the tank?


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Boogerboy said:


> Since I only get to see my tank lit for about a half hour a day before I go to work, I was wondering if any of you ran on a later photoperiod e.g. 1pm-9pm and what, if any, effect this has had on the tank?


I run my tank from 1pm to 11pm, and it's just fine.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

I run from 5 pm until 1 am.

It is fine as long as your aquarium doesn't get any additional light (i.e. sunlight).


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## Boogerboy (Sep 23, 2008)

Just what I wanted to hear!  Thanks.

On a somewhat unrelated topic: I am going after EI dosing as per your advice in my other thread. Doing Macro then Micro on alternating days (3 times a week each). I understand that typically this means a big 50%+ w/c at week's end. Well, I tried aforementioned water change, and it was exhausting. I have to lug a 5gal container to and fro several times and hoist it very carefully as it pours out (slowly so as not to disturb the substrate). 

My question is, would the plants still get the dosing they need if i did a 10-20% change after every two doses rather than this big change? (i.e. 1 day macro, 1 day micro, water change at night, repeat)


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

There are lots of variations on EI that people have tried; I myself have not had any experience with the variation you suggested.

You could try taking a look over at Tom Barr's forums and see if anyone else has tried something similar to what you are suggesting to see if it will work.


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## Evans11 (Aug 7, 2009)

Boogerboy said:


> I have to lug a 5gal container to and fro several times and hoist it very carefully as it pours out (slowly so as not to disturb the substrate).


You should get a Python Water Change System. Makes changing the water in your tank a breeze! I wouldn't have a tank without one. 
However if you do not have a sink available to connect it, you can also try siphoning the water back into the tank from your bucket rather then dumping it in and disturbing your plants. Just get a bigger bucket and a hose.


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## Boogerboy (Sep 23, 2008)

Thanks, but i dont have any higher surface to put the container on  it just occurred to me that I could get a powerhead and pump the water back into the tank though


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## tankies (Feb 1, 2012)

Boogerboy said:


> Just what I wanted to hear!  Thanks.
> 
> On a somewhat unrelated topic: I am going after EI dosing as per your advice in my other thread. Doing Macro then Micro on alternating days (3 times a week each). I understand that typically this means a big 50%+ w/c at week's end. Well, I tried aforementioned water change, and it was exhausting. I have to lug a 5gal container to and fro several times and hoist it very carefully as it pours out (slowly so as not to disturb the substrate).
> 
> My question is, would the plants still get the dosing they need if i did a 10-20% change after every two doses rather than this big change? (i.e. 1 day macro, 1 day micro, water change at night, repeat)


Im doing EI at the moment and whenever I just change water less than what's mentioned, I still got excess nutrients(doing regular testing) in the water column. So, right now, I just dose half strength of what was recommended and do around 25-30% water change. So far, haven't notice any difference.


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