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sanababit
02/01/2009, 05:07 PM
Well i hear a lot of you are keeping your refugiums lit for 24 hrs/7, this is done because we need our macro algae (in my case cheato) working all the time to reduce nitrate and phosphate, i really dont get a lot of growth out of it, my tank is always at ~2.5-5ppm on nitrate and phosphate cant really tell because my test kit always shows less than 0ppm, anyways, i am no biologist, but doesn't all plants need a little lights out to complete photosyntesis to promote growth, i am just asking because it grows really sloooow and my fuge is always lit, i am starting a little experiment by turning the light 2 hours a day to see if it makes any difference....any suggestions greatly appreciated...thanks

Sana

andrewk529
02/01/2009, 05:19 PM
photosynthesis only occurs when light waves react with pigments within plant tissues so the more light the better..you should check your bulb it might not be emitting enough light/spectrum the only time you would want to alter night/day cycles is to induce reproduction which would be bad in a closed saltwater system

noboddi
02/01/2009, 05:30 PM
You can turn the lights out 10 hours a day with chaeto. People leave the lights on 24/7 with caulerpa to prevent it from going sexual, but chaeto does better with a day and night cycle

jedheuer
02/01/2009, 05:46 PM
What kelvin bulb are you using? Chaeto does well under 6500.

widmer
02/01/2009, 06:21 PM
I've always used the yellowest (lowest K-rating) compact fluorescent available, ie "warm white" or "soft white" and chaeto works great for me. But I also firmly believe that there are several bloodlines of chaeto being traded around out there, and some may be more robust than others. You could try getting some from a different source than where you got it the first time. I got mine from someone selling over RC and it is amazingly hardy, the trials and tribulations I've had bits of it survive through could merit its own thread.

sanababit
02/01/2009, 06:35 PM
well the bulb is a 6500k that melev recomended on his web site, i got a little flow in fuge and replace the light about 3 months ago, i really dont get growth, i have cut it once in a year (yesterday), just left a little ball in the fuge for now, i might add i have a denitrifier, rowaphos, carbon, going 24/7, could this contribute to sloow growth, well even before i got them online i still had the same problem

sana

corbett_n
02/01/2009, 07:39 PM
I had my cheato under 24/7 light for about a year, until I recently read not too. So, I use a reverse cycle now, but cheato always grew really fast with 24/7 light.

2_zoa
02/01/2009, 09:03 PM
How far away is the light? What wattage?

Also you should be prunning the cheato as the torn ends promot growth. At the very least you should be pulling it into a thinner sheet, like a matt so the inside doesn't become light starvedd and release the nutrients back into the water cause it is dying.

pjewett
02/01/2009, 09:34 PM
bump. just switched to alternating from 24/7. keep hearing it both ways...very confusing.

sanababit
02/02/2009, 01:28 AM
pj, yes its confusing, it makes sense to allow some darkness for a plant to grow (photosyntesis), well i might be wrong on this so dont quote me, lol, i will try this experiment and see how it goes...

sana

douglam
02/02/2009, 08:39 AM
mine is under 24/7 lighting and it grows like a weed. i had only a small handful about 2 weeks ago and now its filling the section i have it in, in my 10 gallon fuge.

wbond
02/02/2009, 12:33 PM
I use a reverse light cycle and it grows pretty well.

andrewk529
02/02/2009, 12:44 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14298392#post14298392 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sanababit
pj, yes its confusing, it makes sense to allow some darkness for a plant to grow (photosyntesis), well i might be wrong on this so dont quote me, lol, i will try this experiment and see how it goes...

sana

http://www.biologycorner.com/resources/photosynthesis.jpg

that's a more simple diagram if your still having trouble think of a human, would you grow if you stopped eating for a few days or just ate constantly. Photosynthetic plants only produce "food" when light is present so why would cutting off their food supply help them? but don't listen to me i was only a plant science major for 2 years :cool:

Hampton
02/02/2009, 12:56 PM
It must not be too critical in this case. I've done both. Currently running 24/7.

nanewbie
02/02/2009, 01:03 PM
I run my 6500 CF 12 on/off w/ no problems.

john rochon
02/02/2009, 01:13 PM
never understood the 24/7 idea for cheato. aint natural IMO.
I've also never had macro algea go sexual either. always worked good for me.

2_zoa
02/02/2009, 07:13 PM
Running the light on chaeto 24/7 can make it turn white.

reefscape15
02/02/2009, 08:16 PM
24/7 is a good idea for about anything except chaeto. It doesn't really need that much light, but i've had a batch of macro go sexual and it really sux having to disturb the sand bed to take out the dead plants. I believe that the pods growing in the sand bed may be as bennificial as any algae you could have in your fuge. Just try to keep fuge lights on for at least 12 hours a day. If you find something that works good for you, try to leave it alone as long as possible. The less you mess with things the better they turn out in my expierence

Hampton
02/02/2009, 08:29 PM
All due respect, that sounds like Caulpera.

Wgluther
02/03/2009, 10:51 AM
I'm using the same bulb Melev uses 24/7 and the chaeto grows like crazy. I have to harvest it at least every other week.

firsthesitation
02/03/2009, 11:23 AM
I use reverse and I end up taking about double the size in mine out each week or so. Guess I never thought about doing it 24/7