Light cycle and mushrooms

[reginanmc]

I have two things to talk about, which may or may not be related. Now, we're talking about my 8g BioCube, up and running since Nov 07:


1. I'm running the lights (150MH) from 8am - 4pm, 8hrs. I have no real algea issues. and was wondering of i should run the light longer?? my only concern would be heat, during that 8hour run the temp usally rises 2-3 degrees. Average temp for my tank is between 80-81, so by teh end of the day it's usally 83 sometimes 84.

2. my mushrooms, i have a green fuzzy shrooms and red w/ blue spots (forgive me for not knowing name) the red ones I have had since April 5th and today i finally spotted a new one growing. the green mushrooms I have had in the tank for about 6 mos and they have not multipled at all. I have three polyps, each in a different place (all three have different degrees of light). Why aren't they multipling? I fragged them from our 40g where they multipled like crazy. They have only been under the MH for about 1 month, before that they were under the stock - 2 18w PC's.

If I exstended the light cycle, would it help the growth?? I bought a zoa frag the same day as teh red shrroms and it has more than doubled it polyp count.........I know I can't really compare, they're two completely different animals.

what do you think???

[OneDummHikk]

I would actually try shortening it first. That is a lot of light for a shroom. It may be getting too much light and causing it not to split. I have noticed that when I had my shrooms in the 12G tank with the stock PC light, they split. Since they have been in the 90 with more light, they don't split as much.

[reginanmc]

Originally Posted by OneDummHikk

I would actually try shortening it first. That is a lot of light for a shroom. It may be getting too much light and causing it not to split. I have noticed that when I had my shrooms in the 12G tank with the stock PC light, they split. Since they have been in the 90 with more light, they don't split as much.

but they didn't split under the stock lighting either. They had that for about 5 mos.

[reginanmc]

anyone else?

[Wiskey]

Originally Posted by reginanmc

I have two things to talk about, which may or may not be related. Now, we're talking about my 8g BioCube, up and running since Nov 07:


1. I'm running the lights (150MH) from 8am - 4pm, 8hrs. I have no real algea issues. and was wondering of i should run the light longer?? my only concern would be heat, during that 8hour run the temp usally rises 2-3 degrees. Average temp for my tank is between 80-81, so by teh end of the day it's usally 83 sometimes 84.

2. my mushrooms, i have a green fuzzy shrooms and red w/ blue spots (forgive me for not knowing name) the red ones I have had since April 5th and today i finally spotted a new one growing. the green mushrooms I have had in the tank for about 6 mos and they have not multipled at all. I have three polyps, each in a different place (all three have different degrees of light). Why aren't they multipling? I fragged them from our 40g where they multipled like crazy. They have only been under the MH for about 1 month, before that they were under the stock - 2 18w PC's.

If I exstended the light cycle, would it help the growth?? I bought a zoa frag the same day as teh red shrroms and it has more than doubled it polyp count.........I know I can't really compare, they're two completely different animals.

what do you think???

I'd like to say this first,.. Everytime I tried to really push growth I ended up shooting myself in the foot in one way or another so be careful I personally have learned to be happy with happy looking corals.

That being said IME the best way to make mushrooms to grow really fast is dirty water,.. In newer tanks they tend not to do as well as in older established (dirtyer) tanks.

I think that running the MH for 8 hours a day is great,.. but I would do something about that temp - a small computer fan could keep it in check for only a couple bucks. IMO 85 is real danger zone (My SPS bleached there) as far as temp goes,.. I am not comfortable with anything over 81 personally.

HTH,
Whiskey