# How long to keep light on, do fish sleep?



## razor2003 (Jul 18, 2004)

Ok I want to promote algae growth and usually go to sleep around midnight anyways. I plan on turning my light on at 8am and turning it off at 11:30 pm. Do fish need an x amount of rest at night and will this be enough? I know I need 7 hours.


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

fish do not need to "sleep" in the dark. They will have rest periods with, or without the light. 
My hydro bill prefers the lights off as much as possible, and fish do best with routine, so install a timer at your earliest convenience and set the time for 8 to 11:30 for a good crop of algae. :thumb:


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

My tank is no where near any natural light and I also want to promote algae growth...What lights are best to do this?

I have no idea what I have in there right now(it's the standard neons that come with the hoods)...I work from home and usually get up early and stay up late, will just leaving them on while I'm awake promote this? I have them on a schedule, so there are many hours of the day that I'm awake and the lights are off, because I just figured they needed ~12 hours a day with the lights on.


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## KiDD (Aug 20, 2010)

The longer there on the brighter they are the better for Algae... My Daughters 10 Gallon is a Algae playground... That tank you can clean the algae of the glass and by the end of the week it is back to being covered..


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

KiDD said:


> The longer there on the brighter they are the better for Algae... My Daughters 10 Gallon is a Algae playground... *That tank you can clean the algae of the glass and by the end of the week it is back to being covered*..


Well, I definitely don't want all that, but I'd like my rocks to have a bit more natural look and I also don't want my bristlenose to starve...I drop in algae waffers all the time, but usually my other fish end up eating them before he/she can latch on to one.


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## dzydvl33 (Sep 17, 2010)

ok why would you WANT to grow algae? i have never heard of this and I'm curious. what are the benefits of algae?


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

dzydvl33 said:


> ok why would you WANT to grow algae? i have never heard of this and I'm curious. what are the benefits of algae?


Some algae makes the tank more natural looking...I just need a little more so my bristlenose can eat.


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## KiDD (Aug 20, 2010)

Well any Bulb that has a natrual sunlight wave will help it grow.. I will snap a pic of her tank tomorrow. Betta's love it.


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## Jowlz (Dec 19, 2008)

Number6 said:


> fish do not need to "sleep" in the dark. They will have rest periods with, or without the light.
> My hydro bill prefers the lights off as much as possible, and fish do best with routine, so install a timer at your earliest convenience and set the time for 8 to 11:30 for a good crop of algae. :thumb:


Excellent advice. Get your fish on a schedule. Every night, just about 10 minutes before the light goes out, my P. Salousi all head for their caves or rocks.. It's pretty amazing that they know when their bedtime is...now if I can just train the kids....


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

If you leave your lights on as long as you're considering, you're likely to grow algae that doesn't benefit your pleco and looks unsightly i.e. black beard and hair algae.

Just a "normal" light period should be more than enough to grow the brown and green algae for your pleco. I'd say mimic natural light cycles of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and see what happens. There is more algae for your pleco than you probably see. I'm assuming you also have driftwood in there.

Two other things, I "hand feed" my BNs with long-handled tongs. They know the tong has an alge wafer at the end and they actually wait for them and I place the wafer right in front of them. No one else has a chance at it until the pleco wanders away. You can also try dropping them in at night when the others are asleep. Also, have you tried a slice of zuccini or cucumber for the plecos. I put one in a veggie clip at night and the pleco has a feast.


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## razor2003 (Jul 18, 2004)

I am not worried about the pelco, i just like the sight of algae growing on my rocks and waving in the water. I have brown algae and some green algae. I currently do not have activated carbon ( my water is crystal clear with 50 % water changes every week). I read somewhere that having activated carbon releases phosphates promoting algae growth. Is this true?

I have some plant growth solution i am thinking of adding to the tank every week. I have my lights on for 16 hours but still not satisfied with algae growth.


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