Light before critters?

[fishdweeb]

I am cycling my tank right now. live sand and some LR in my 80.
how much light should I be giving the system during this time?

I have halides (2-250 with 2-40actinics) up until the installation of the halides I was just running a couple 15w strips to view and set up.

I did luck out and picked up a couple mushrooms on one of the pieces of LR.


thanks in advance

brad
northdakota

[luther1200]

You don't have to run your lights during cycle if you don't want to. Its just going to create algae. If you want to run the actinics that should be enough for the mushrooms I would think if they survive teh cycle. Or you could judt run all of them for about 2 hours a day. I don''t think you have to start a full phototperiod yet. But it wouldn't hurt anything if thats what you want to do. I have always just left the actins on for a few hours a day during cycles.

[Loverotties]

+1

[random]

sorry, can't find the thread for you, but maybe someone else can:
it said something like,
with live rock, where things (sponges, soft corals) are growing on it, you might want use a lighting schedule similar to what you'll use when the tank is done cycling. Otherwise, things that like low light will grow in places that will be 'high light' later, & once the lights go on they'll die off/cause an ammonia spike.

[motorslave]

Originally Posted by luther1200

You don't have to run your lights during cycle if you don't want to. Its just going to create algae. If you want to run the actinics that should be enough for the mushrooms I would think if they survive teh cycle. Or you could judt run all of them for about 2 hours a day. I don''t think you have to start a full phototperiod yet. But it wouldn't hurt anything if thats what you want to do. I have always just left the actins on for a few hours a day during cycles.

Actually the lights aren't going to cause algae, phosphates will. If its there you will get algae, and its there. Different algae blooms are a standard part of new tank cycling. And by cycling I don't mean the typical ammonia, nitrate cycle you see in the very beginning. The true cycle can take up to a year and this includes various stages of the maturing process. This isn't to say you have to wait a year though. I have always run my lights. Light is part of the marine world an no sense in delaying the inevitable IMO. I say run the lights, get things going, help keep some of the survivors on the rock alive etc. I have never had any bad issues from doing this.

[ibanez2k]

yep, as stated you will probably get some algae. I've been running my lights on during the cycle of my new tank and have been getting a bit of algae. I only have my lights on for 5 hours a day though. A bit of algae during the cycle is good IMO. It's food for your clean up crew when you get them in later.

[biowheel]

Light it up and see what's in there . Be ready for some fun for the next couple months though. All part of the set up . I ran my lights to but it really didn't count since it was a 18W 50/50 bulb

[fishdweeb]

The LR I purchased is already cured. A previous reef tank owner (military) was deployed and had to break down his tank. I have done a ton of business with this particular LFS and got first pick of the rock....( all beit at $4.99 per pound)

I tested about 4 days ago and water parameters were perfect. I did add some more rock two days ago and will test again tonite.