I have a light on my aquarium do i leave the light on all day?

Question

It has a live plant inside the aquarium.

Answer 1

if you have a planted tank, look into the light requirements of the plants you have. most tanks do well with light from 8-12 hours a day. if you have algae problems, the less light the better, but some plants like long spans of light (not more then 12 hours though.) also, the lights that came with your aquarium are really just meant to make it easier for you to see your fish. they aren't really a strength your plants would be happy with. i just went and bought a good compact flourescent for my planted tank and they are already growing about 2x as much as they did with the lights that came with the tank set-up. because they're so great, i have the light on for less of a length of time. anyway, here's a site with some great planted tank info including articles on lights and whatnot. hope it helps!
http://www.aquatic-plants.org/articles/basics/pages/08_computer.html

Answer 2

Unless you have live plants the light is much more for your benefit than the fishes. The fish will be fine with whatever light filters into the tank from the room. So no need to leave it on except when your home to enjoy the tank.

Keeping it off will help prevent algae too

MM

Answer 3

It's up to you.

As long as you don't have any live plants in the tank, the lighting level doesn't really matter. You fish can live with just the ambient lighting in the room.

I have the lighting for all of my tanks on timers so the fish have a sense of "daytime" and I don't have to go around the house shutting them off at night, and I am also trying to encourage the growth of green algae in my tanks (Personal preference here. I like the look.)

Good luck
E.

Answer 4

There is no need to leave it on all day. We turn ours on when we feed them. Now they surface whenever the light comes on cos they know it's feeding time.

You're supposed to turn the light off in the evening but keep your room light on to give the effect of the sun going down... I read that in a tropical fish keeping book but not sure what good it does?

Answer 5

I keep my lights on from the time I get up till the time I go to bed. I keep the lighting on the same schedule as I am awake. I have never has an algae proble in my tank just make sure your tank in not in the way of direct sunlight.

Answer 6

a light should be on for 12 hours during the day, and off for 12 hours in a day. the fish are used to an environment like we are. Light for half of a day, dark for half of a day. it is okay to leave the light on all night or off for a whole day, (i left my oscar fish's light on last night so i could watch him) but for the whole day i am leaving his light off. you have to balance the light. Tina J.s answer reminded me, why you turn the room's light on when your turning the light on is so it gets the fish used to the light. You wouldn't want to go from nice darkness to total light would you? I do it with my oscar fish, cuz he's my baby!

Answer 7

It wont do any harm if you leave it on but its abit of a waist realy , i keep mine off in the day and just put it on at night , turn the living room light off and could sit there for hours watching the fish .

Answer 8

its best to use a timer to provide only a few hours of light, this prevents algae. If you have two light tubes, you can get one that is good for plants and one that enhances the colours of the fish

Answer 9

You should have light in your aquarium for a minimum of 12 hours, max 14 hours. This will let the good algae do what they do. Also for amonia breakdown from fish waste. I recomend a timer for control.

Answer 10

In nature They don't have 24h light, so I would switch it off. Just imagine you would have to live in an environment when the lights are never off. Of course I can't compare humans to fish, but just have a look how it is in nature and fish actually sleep aswell.