Lighting Duration

justinstewart

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I've been running my lights for 7 hours at around 80 par (photone app). Lights on at 1pm, off at 8pm for lighted viewing while we are home. The plants are definately closed up and ready for bed shortly after 8pm.

The tank gets some ambient lighting, through east facing windows (east coast US), its about 12 feet away from the window.

I can see the plants bending toward the ambient light in the morning. Then when the tank lights come on, the plants straighten out and face up toward the tank light.

I know in a perfect world, the tank would sit in a dark cave and the only light that touches it would be from my tank leds, but I like where the tank is at.

Thinking about reducing par a little and increasing the hours/period? Or maybe start the lights earlier? Seems like the plants are early risers and I'm not giving them light until the afternoon...
 
I've been running my lights for 7 hours at around 80 par (photone app). Lights on at 1pm, off at 8pm for lighted viewing while we are home. The plants are definately closed up and ready for bed shortly after 8pm.

The tank gets some ambient lighting, through east facing windows (east coast US), its about 12 feet away from the window.

I can see the plants bending toward the ambient light in the morning. Then when the tank lights come on, the plants straighten out and face up toward the tank light.

I know in a perfect world, the tank would sit in a dark cave and the only light that touches it would be from my tank leds, but I like where the tank is at.

Thinking about reducing par a little and increasing the hours/period? Or maybe start the lights earlier? Seems like the plants are early risers and I'm not giving them light until the afternoon...
Mine do the same. Even with just a bit of light from the sliding glass door. I just go a full 8 hours and don’t pay too much attention to it. My lights come on at 9am though.
 
I've had a period where my plants were not happy, and I struggled for a long time trying to find the root cause. The solution was my lighting period, 6 hours, and all fine after I brought it to 8 hours. I am now at 10 hours.

I've been running my lights for 7 hours
This probably works, but if you're considering what to do with your lighting duration you may be safer with an hour or two more.
 
Appreciate your thoughts! I moved up the lights on/off time and am going to try 8 hours.
 
@RickyV, great tank. I have the same lights. Do you run each channel at 80 or how do you have the 4 channels set?
 
@RickyV thanks! How deep is your tank? How high do you have the lights from the water? Do you know how much par? I've messed around with the Photone app a little but don't have a real par meter! I've read about a couple people running the wrgb 2 pro, but everyone's setup is so different.
 
@RickyV thanks! How deep is your tank? How high do you have the lights from the water? Do you know how much par? I've messed around with the Photone app a little but don't have a real par meter! I've read about a couple people running the wrgb 2 pro, but everyone's setup is so different.
The tank is 29 in deep, and I have them 2 in above the water surface. Unfortunately I don't know the PAR. But I do need to try the phototone app. I have heard it is very close to the real thing.
 
Just wanted to add that your plants stretching towards the sunlight is not necessarily a sign of anything bad, especially since they straighten out when your lights come on. Some plants follow the sun around daily in their normal course of business, we just don't see it in our tanks because our lights are static. If your entire tank was persistently growing towards your window that would be different.

That's not to say you shouldn't lengthen your photoperiod, but that's a separate consideration.
 
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