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04/10/2007, 02:15 PM | #76 | |
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"Just a drop in the bucket" Last edited by Aquabucket; 04/10/2007 at 02:21 PM. |
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04/10/2007, 02:33 PM | #77 |
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I am still trying to locate that article on the amount of unfiltered sunlight the average tropical reef recieves each year. If I remember right it is about 90 days.
I did stumble across this tidbit at Sea World. Note that it isnt so much the amount of light as it is water that is rich in nutrients and oxygen. So with your skimmer or venturi powerhead going, and maintain feeding leaving the lights off for a day or two shouldnt hurt anything. I will keep digging for that article.... . Habitat requirements. 1. Although various types of corals can be found from the water's surface to depths of 19,700 ft. (6,000 m), reef- building corals are generally found at depths of less than 150 ft (46 m), where sunlight penetrates. Because reef- building corals have a symbiotic relationship with a type of microscopic algae, sunlight is necessary for these corals to thrive and grow. a. Reefs tend to grow faster in clear water. Clear water allows light to reach the symbiotic algae living within the coral polyp's tissue. Many scientists believe that the algae, called zooxanthellae, promote polyp calcification. See symbiosis for more information on this algae and its relationship with coral. b. Light-absorbing adaptations enable some reef- building corals to live in dim blue light. 2. Reef-building corals require warm ocean temperatures (68 to 82 F, or 20 to 28 C). Warm water flows along the eastern shores of major land masses. 3. Reef development is generally more abundant in areas that are subject to strong wave action. Waves carry food, nutrients, and oxygen to the reef; distribute coral larvae; and prevent sediment from settling on the coral reef.
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I know enough to know I know nothing. Current Tank Info: 55 Marine. 29 Freshwater planted. |
04/11/2007, 09:34 AM | #78 |
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Thanks for the info omni2226. Feel free to post more when you can.
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"Just a drop in the bucket" |
04/11/2007, 12:38 PM | #79 |
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I have been fighting diatoms and blue/green algae for about 4 months now.. My tank is a brown slime mess. I got rid of it for about a month and just yesterday my whole tank was covered again. It is very very disheartening... Today actually in disgust and not wanting to see my tank ( before I even read this thread) I shut off the lights. That is how fed up I am.. The tank is 2 years old... Ive tried everything. increased water changes, less feedings, less light periods, better skimming, diatom filters, changed RO filters monthly (yea I go through alot of them). I was really worried without the lights my corals (a mix of sps and softies) would suffer. I have thousands of dollars into my tank.. The algae really takes away from the beauty. I am gonna try the 3 day no lights and see... I dont have anything else to try...
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04/11/2007, 12:43 PM | #80 | |
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12 Gallon Aquapod. 4 Gallon Pico-Coming Soon Current Tank Info: 12 Gallon Aquapod |
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04/11/2007, 01:11 PM | #81 |
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Does anyone who tried this have clams? It sounds like a great idea, but I'm not sure how well clams would do without light.
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Mark Current Tank Info: 75g saltwater FOWLR aggressive/triggers, 54g corner lionfish |
04/11/2007, 06:14 PM | #82 |
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do you guys leave your refugium off as well. or should i leave that on its regular schedule?
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04/11/2007, 08:44 PM | #83 |
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My Derasa clam never showed any stress at all.
As far as shutting off a fuge I don't have one but I do have plenty of cheato hidden behind my rock-work and it is also unaffected by the black-out.
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04/11/2007, 09:53 PM | #84 |
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Wow, Nice tank!
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For a fish today, i will gladly pay you Tuesday. What tha Frag! Current Tank Info: 240gal mixed reef build in the works |
04/11/2007, 10:04 PM | #85 |
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thanks for sharing
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04/11/2007, 10:04 PM | #86 |
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Thanks!
Here are a couple of more recent pics:
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04/11/2007, 10:31 PM | #87 |
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I'm a believer
I have been battleing Cyano and decided to try this.
WOW. All the Cyano was gone and the tank looked great. The water was clearer for sure and I had cyano on EVERYTHING. Rocks, sand, and it was killing off the coraline and macro. Thanks for the Tip!!!! By the way, I kept the fuge lights on, and did 1 day actinics followed by 2 days no lights except moons.
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Favorite Quote from a customer at my store... "It says here these fish are best kept in schools, but can I keep them in my home?" Honest to God, someone said that. -Chip Current Tank Info: You have too many tanks, says my wife |
04/12/2007, 06:20 PM | #88 |
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power company calls me when i turn off lights for two dayslol
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20gal pico aquariums starfire cube 150de mh w/Tunze streams.Seaside aquatics 3.5 skimm Current Tank Info: 22 g pico cube 150w mh+led supplement |
04/12/2007, 06:58 PM | #89 |
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I tried this too! Shut off my lights for one full day(yesterday) and came home from work today(the second day), turned on VHO's at 6pm(normally on at 12pm) Will have halides back on tomorrow.
It works great!!! Got rid of my cyano! Tank crystal clear! I have a reverse photoperiod fuge that I left on. And it was raining all day and yesterday, so there wasn't much indirect lighting. A++++ (before & after) |
04/13/2007, 01:56 PM | #90 |
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LIGHTS OFF
I had a huge breakout of green hair algae. After months of fighting it with different critters and manual intervention I decided to turn the lights off. I left them off for a week as I was totally fed up and ready to tear down and start over, I saw no adverse affects on the coral, or life in the tank. 95% of the algae died and ended up in my filter which I replaced the pads on. I then started tunrning the lights on only for a few hours a day and now (2 weeks) almost all of the annoying algae has gone. YAY!
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--- 75 ALL Glass In wall Reef--- You will ReSpEcT my authoritAYYYYY CRAB.... Click on my red house to see my reef Current Tank Info: 75 in wall, 40 sump, 30 fuge |
04/13/2007, 03:50 PM | #91 |
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Light is off for the 2nd day in a row in my tank. Battling Bryposis, will update.
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04/13/2007, 05:50 PM | #92 |
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Im giving the idea a try as well. Im trying to stop recuring out breaks of cyano. Ive tried all other methods, but of course they dont work when fish are in the tank. Poor bugga's gotta eat to.
I dont have any corals (if you dont include a polyp that came on the live rock, likes lower light intensity anyway), so im going to leave my lights of for a longer period. Ill post my results in a few days as wel. Chris. |
04/13/2007, 06:16 PM | #93 |
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Today is the second day my lights are off. Cyno is reducing at a good pace. Although fuge lights are on. This is by far the best way to fight an alage problem!
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04/13/2007, 06:31 PM | #94 |
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yup, my mind is made up! as of tonite my lights are going to be off for 3 days. i have been battling hair algae for a long time. nothing has gotten rid of it. this is the last step before i pull MY hair out.
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04/13/2007, 08:44 PM | #95 |
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Tonight, my tank has been dark for three days. I can't wait to see how it looks tomorrow.
My skimmer seems to be pulling out just as much stuff as it normally does, so lighting doesn't seem to have any effect on the volume of DOCs in the water apparently. |
04/13/2007, 08:59 PM | #96 | |
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Your algae is not special. Current Tank Info: TBD ADA 120-P SPS NLPS |
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04/13/2007, 09:07 PM | #97 |
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Even Marc is on the "Lights Off" Band wagoon!
So far there have been ZERO ill effects. My PH was stable (But its always stable). Hope you get the same results Marc!
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Favorite Quote from a customer at my store... "It says here these fish are best kept in schools, but can I keep them in my home?" Honest to God, someone said that. -Chip Current Tank Info: You have too many tanks, says my wife |
04/13/2007, 09:29 PM | #98 | |
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Yeah, I thought the idea was a good one and decided I wanted to try it out myself. Gives me something to talk about. |
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04/13/2007, 09:42 PM | #99 |
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Yeah, now we're really getting some weight behind this!
(Not a fat joke, Marc ) I'll be trying it soon in an attempt to clear a little remaining nusiance macro algae. Problem is, I don't know if I can stand not seeing the tank for so long.
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Your algae is not special. Current Tank Info: TBD ADA 120-P SPS NLPS |
04/13/2007, 11:54 PM | #100 | |
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