• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Midday lighting pause (siesta) - in tanks without CO2

TallDragon

Member
Joined
5 Mar 2013
Messages
211
Hi.
The topic of having a midday a few hour break in lighting during the midday has been mentioned here a few years ago: http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/mid-day-ciesta.673/
That thread was only discussing tanks with CO2.
What is the situation if I do not plan on having CO2 in my tank? - just maybe liquid carbo?

A reputable company whose name starts with D is distributing little brochures in the stores where I live on topics like Algae and Lighting and it contains the concept of 10 hours per day, with a 2-4 hour break midday "to keep algae in check". Recommend 9-2pm ON, then 2-5pm Off, then 5pm-10pm on again.
Brochure quote: "A high level of light is a strong oxidation factor (highly conducive to algae growth) and needs to be offset by a correspondigly strong reduction factor (no algea growth) .... Algae do not like the midday dark phase. It does not bother plants and fish"

Disregarding the addition ON/Off cycle for the T5 tubes, which may reduce lifetime, what is the current thinking on the topic? - Is there anybody using this timing on their tank? --- I've read threads where midday 'blasts' were mentioned, but very few, who use this midday siesta.
 
THISGONBGUD.gif
 
I did not find the particular post informative, nor convincing. I would be curious about the thoughts of people who tried it. At this time - with all due respect - I do not wish to read more of ceg's anti corporation marketing conspiracy theories. I assume there are others on this forum too - ceg is one voice - who can provide their experience.
 
I did not find the particular post informative, nor convincing. I would be curious about the thoughts of people who tried it. At this time - with all due respect - I do not wish to read more of ceg's anti corporation marketing conspiracy theories. I assume there are others on this forum too - ceg is one voice - who can provide their experience.
Yeah, I mean can you actually prove there isn't a flying spaghetti monster just past Venus? Have you actually been there yourself?

P
 
Yeah, I mean can you actually prove there isn't a flying spaghetti monster just past Venus? Have you actually been there yourself?
P
Dear P. --- this is getting me nowhere. Please, in the spirit of a 'cordial' and 'polite' forum, offer assistance, or do not post in this thread. I think I have the same rights as you to be active in this forum, and become informed. This need not turn into a 'flame' war and bullying.
In another forum many use a midday break with success.
 
Last edited:
Hi, I would give it a go if I were you as that is probably the best way to fine out for yourself.
The method was very popular in the 80s and to the best of my knowledge nobody caused anny real harm but applying a siesta to the lighting time.
I was one who tried it and to be honest I can't say it made any difference one way or another but we were mostly using low light tanks anyway.
 
I tried it once. I really just wanted a light on the lounge when I woke up in the morning. It was a 3ft low tech, no Co2. I can't say I made a difference to the algae in any way. But I enjoyed having the light come on. Today I have a seedling tray growing hc in the lounge (my wife puts up with a lot) and the photo time is split - 6hr in the morning, 6hrs at night. Again, I do it because I like the light in the morning and in the evening.

So it's not a bad idea. But it's not a good idea either if your doing it to control algae.
 
Just doesn't seem natural to cut the lights half way in the day, to then turn them back on again. This would never happen in nature, and I can't see how it would cause any benefits to the plant either.
 
I agree with Dantrasy... And it reminds me to the light temperature discussions. At the end it is a matter of personal choice, you may like your tank more or less yellow, you may prefer to see light in your tank when you are at home. The point is that there is no (scientifically) proven benefit of this technique regarding algae control...
My guess is that a 2 or 3 hours break does not harm your plants but cannot be correlated to any benefit.

Personally I prefer not to compare our tanks with natural conditions (you know, the argument 'this is like or this is not like nature') that is sometimes used to defend or not this and other methods. Our tanks are very far from being 'natural' despite all this publicity of 'nature aquarium, coming back to nature and all this stuff'. I would say they are oversimplified version of nature and highly modified to achieve what we want to see (high diversity and density of plants in a tiny surface, clear water and rustiness environment) and to avoid what we do not want to see but occur in nature (algae, low species diversity, few places really suitable for plant growing, muddy waters, etc.).

So again, if you want to do this and fits with your timetable or other likings.... Then do it, but UKAPS is a brilliant place to read about myths and it looks like this is another one.

Jordi
 
Last edited:
Hi, I would give it a go if I were you as that is probably the best way to fine out for yourself.
The method was very popular in the 80s and to the best of my knowledge nobody caused anny real harm but applying a siesta to the lighting time.
I was one who tried it and to be honest I can't say it made any difference one way or another but we were mostly using low light tanks anyway.
Thanks for your thoughts. I am a child of the 70s, so low light might be good enough for me, since I cannot yet put in a full CO2 set. I'll try it out.
Nobody can really tell the difference unless 2 exact same tanks are run in parallel as an experiment.
 
Just doesn't seem natural to cut the lights half way in the day, to then turn them back on again. This would never happen in nature, and I can't see how it would cause any benefits to the plant either.
Thanks Julian for your thoughts.
What is your recipe for an algea free tank?
 
I agree with Dantrasee... And it reminds me to the light temperature discussions. At the end it is a matter of personal choice, you may like your tank more or less yellow, you may prefer to see light in your tank when you are at home. The point is that there is no (scientifically) proven benefit of this technique regarding algae control...
My guess is that a 2 or 3 hours break does not harm your plants but cannot be correlated to any benefit

Jordi
Thanks parotet.
On the topic of light temperature, what works for you? What tubes have you tried and were pleased with?
 
Just doesn't seem natural to cut the lights half way in the day, to then turn them back on again. This would never happen in nature, and I can't see how it would cause any benefits to the plant either.
Hi Julian, I believe the theory was based on what happens in nature, dappled light from moving trees, moving clouds, heavy rain, cloudy water etc.
The belief was very few underwater plants receive constant sun...
 
3. Activation of the enzyme is very slow at the beginning of the photoperiod. The RuBisCO in algae is more efficient because algae have a mechanism which concentrates CO2 and holds it, so they respond very quickly to the daylight. This is why siestas are a very bad idea.
 
Hi Julian, I believe the theory was based on what happens in nature, dappled light from moving trees, moving clouds, heavy rain, cloudy water etc.
The belief was very few underwater plants receive constant sun...

I thought it was likely that those were the reasons. But I think all of those conditions are rather spontaneous and not likely to happen every day on a timer.
 
I think all of those conditions are rather spontaneous and not likely to happen every day on a timer.
As I mentioned in post #11 (sorry it was edited after posting) conditions in our tanks are far from being natural. Even these new (and extremely expensive lights) that can be controlled from a computer to simulate these conditions adding more "natural cycles", I really doubt plants care. IMO this is not a good argument for discussing this issue.

If you want to have a siesta in your tank photoperiod, if you want to simulate a storm, a thunderstorm or whatever... then go ahead. Why not? Your limitation will only be plant's health (in that sense a long siesta won't do any good) and in some cases your wallet. The real point is to know that, as mentioned, there is no reasonable explanation to say it has a benefit for fighting against algae. Therefore it is just a matter of personal choice.

Jordi
 
Back
Top