What do you think? Tank light on or off at night?

[briguy44]

What is MTS?

[pufferpuggirl]

"MTS" is mutiple tank syndrome. And I don't see anything "dumb" about turning tanks on and off manually. Like Dadof4 said, it's part of my routine. In the morning at 10am I turn on all my tanks, then at 8pm at night, I go around and turn them all off again (except for a few that have moonlights on them, and they are left on until about midnight). It works for me and I don't see the harm. Besides, when I turn my lights on, I take a visual inspection of the tank, making sure everything is alright. If all of my tanks were automated, it's possible that I might miss something that would need attention. Just like this morning. I turned on one of my tanks only to see that the reflector had fallen into the water. So I think doing it manually has it's good points, as well as it's bad.

[J-P]

yea.. I haven't got their either ... still on manual. One day I will set up those times

[Flutter]

Well, we're all different

We have timers on every single tank and they were set up the same day the tanks were. Definitely not interested in playing with lights here

[RTR]

Since not all of my tank lighting turns on or off at the same time, it would be impossible for me to track manual lighting changes on many tanks. Some tanks have three separate light cycles in use on them, most have at least two.

[Pufferpunk]

I have 2 old lights that have to be turned on/off by hand--total PITA. Poor fish sat in the dark all week while I was on vacation.

[RTR]

I think that i have some of those strips in storage for emergency use. But I am too old and cranky to use them routinely. I don't think they make those anymore - or hope that they don't.

[Pufferpunk]

Yep, they're old but all I can find right how, no $$$.

[Dadof4]

One of my tanks has T-12 48" bulbs, I was informed with my last shipment that they don't make them anymore so I'm in the market for new fixtures.

[jdak]

I strongly agree with the need for a regular and regulated light cycle. All of my tanks are timed -nobody with MTS should be dumb enough to turn everything on and off manually, automate everything you can.

My tanks get from from 10-12 continuous hours of light daily if planted, unplanted which receive natural bright light may have fewer hours of "tank light on" than that but approximately the same total hours of light.

My reef is all automated but i like to keep my puffer tank manual. I have two dual t5 strips and if it's a warm day, i only turn on one. Sometime i only turn on one just because. I have also learned to turn off the lights during water changes.

[rachel]

Off, at various hours, some suddenly some progressively getting dark.