Let there Be Light?
- Thread starter beasone
- Start date
It doesn't make a BIG difference. I've done it both ways but since there's no real "Benefit" I only run them when I'm looking/watching the tank during the cycle. Some believe this may help control/prevent an algae bloom but it's iffy. I look at it as "No sense in wasting the electricity for nothing."
Definitely use normal lighting during cycling. Not only does this save symbiotic animals like corals and sponges it also helps to grow as much algae as you can. This is a good thing.
There's just no logic to the idea that you should avoid light because of the extensive algae growth. Growing and collecting algae makes it easy to remove most of the nutrients liberated during cycling. The reason for this is that most nutrients are generated inside and on the live rocks and algae growing on these surfaces will help to trap both the inorganic and organic nutrients.
The nutrients won't disappear just because you turn off the lights
There's just no logic to the idea that you should avoid light because of the extensive algae growth. Growing and collecting algae makes it easy to remove most of the nutrients liberated during cycling. The reason for this is that most nutrients are generated inside and on the live rocks and algae growing on these surfaces will help to trap both the inorganic and organic nutrients.
The nutrients won't disappear just because you turn off the lights
I keep my lights on during cycling, but not for any of the reasons mentioned. To my way of thinking, I am trying to establish an equilibrium in the tank. The sooner I get the tank to that point, the better off I am. So I run the lights so everything adjusts to the lights. If I went a month and then switched the lights on everything would go into shock.
Also cycling is when I play with tank setup. Any adjustments to plumbing, if I need to take any steps to handle temperature fluctuations, or anything of that nature I like to handle during the cycle.
Algae is algae. You will have to deal with it at some point; there is an algae succession cycle you will go through and you might as well get it started. If you are really worried about excess nutrients hook up a refugium. Much more effective means of dealing with the problem.
As far as corals and sponges and stuff on the rock, most folks in the hobby add hermits as part of their CUC, and ornamental shrimp, and many also add emerald crabs. Any of these will wipe out most cnidarian hitchhikers; it takes a good 6-9 months for a colony to get established on a rock to the point it will survive predation in the tank. If this is your first tank, I am sure you will be populating it before then so I wouldn't be too concerned about this reason.
Also cycling is when I play with tank setup. Any adjustments to plumbing, if I need to take any steps to handle temperature fluctuations, or anything of that nature I like to handle during the cycle.
Algae is algae. You will have to deal with it at some point; there is an algae succession cycle you will go through and you might as well get it started. If you are really worried about excess nutrients hook up a refugium. Much more effective means of dealing with the problem.
As far as corals and sponges and stuff on the rock, most folks in the hobby add hermits as part of their CUC, and ornamental shrimp, and many also add emerald crabs. Any of these will wipe out most cnidarian hitchhikers; it takes a good 6-9 months for a colony to get established on a rock to the point it will survive predation in the tank. If this is your first tank, I am sure you will be populating it before then so I wouldn't be too concerned about this reason.
Definitely use normal lighting during cycling. Not only does this save symbiotic animals like corals and sponges it also helps to grow as much algae as you can. This is a good thing.
There's just no logic to the idea that you should avoid light because of the extensive algae growth. Growing and collecting algae makes it easy to remove most of the nutrients liberated during cycling. The reason for this is that most nutrients are generated inside and on the live rocks and algae growing on these surfaces will help to trap both the inorganic and organic nutrients.
The nutrients won't disappear just because you turn off the lights
Woa there tatuvaaj. During a "CYCLE" you wont HAVE coral and sponges in your tank unless you've purchased some heavily loaded Live Rock. If that's the case then you'll want to "Soften" the cycle because most of them wont survive a really HARD cycle. Other than that the lights are not needed during the cycle unless you just want to run them. I've cycled my last 2 tanks lightless other than the time I'm testing or simply sitting looking at the tank.
All live rock will have sponges (most sponges on live rock are not photosynthetic however) and better ones have coral. Porites spp. are very common in high quality live rock.
If you have neither I wouldn't call it "live rock". But like I said, the main reason is to keep algae growing as much as possible before you have animals that can't deal with it. It just doesn't make sense not to use this excellent export mechanism during the time period when nutrient load is highest.
Light is also very important for sand bed if you happen to have one. The micro algae and microscopic herbivores eating it are one of the most important part of functioning sand bed.
If you have neither I wouldn't call it "live rock". But like I said, the main reason is to keep algae growing as much as possible before you have animals that can't deal with it. It just doesn't make sense not to use this excellent export mechanism during the time period when nutrient load is highest.
Light is also very important for sand bed if you happen to have one. The micro algae and microscopic herbivores eating it are one of the most important part of functioning sand bed.