# Photoperiods



## neilw (Nov 20, 2004)

What are your thoughts on the midday lights out photoperiod approach, do you leave the lights on constantly or not? At the moment I have a lights out midday break in my photoperiod but I've read elsewhere this isn't needed and is quite an outdated approach, what do you guys think?


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## Nick (Jan 12, 2005)

Hi Neil,

i used to do this when I first set-up my planted discus tank. this was a full Dennerle set-up, and part of their 'system' involved a mid-day black out for a few hours. The rationale according to them was 2 fold, in that it would help fight against algae by using two short photoperiods, to which algae were poorly adapted, and that it also was supposed to simulate the darkening that occurs with gathering storm clouds in the early afternoon. I gave up on it and it after a while and saw no notable difference to the tank, meaning that it is probably harmless, but also doesn't help any either (made no difference to any algae I had). As far as being outdated, seems more people are trying the opposite now-a shorter intense burst of light in the middle of the photoperiod (I use this myself), with less light either side...

Cheers,
Nick


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I run my lighting for 10-12 hours straight, no breaks. I tried the midday lights out approach once and found no improvement in plant growth or decrease in algae.


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## toofazt (Aug 9, 2005)

trenac said:


> I run my lighting for 10-12 hours straight, no breaks. I tried the midday lights out approach once and found no improvement in plant growth or decrease in algae.


same with me


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## RTR (Oct 28, 2005)

I'll admit to having tried the mid-cycle break as well, and with the same results as toofazt & trenac. Mine did involve any overall reduction in total light hours, just 2 hours off between two five hour on periods. No change in algae, and the tanks chosen were three "algae" tanks (mainly hair). I gave it 4 weeks with no detectable difference seen.


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## anonapersona (Mar 11, 2004)

*total lighting hours*

I use a lower wpg level for most of the day with a mid-day blast. I based that on a very very old post from the Krib I think where Eric Olson had posted a calculation that gave you a total watt-hours a tank might need based on whether it was high, medium, or low light. Plug in your light wattage and get the hours of lighting you want. If the wpg is very high, you end up with either short total hours, or some hours at max wpg and some hours at less wpg.

I've tried to find that post but cannot. edit --http://faq.thekrib.com/plant-lighting.html


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

It's unnatural, unnecessary, and not something you should be doing. I think that if anything, it would be detrimental to the plants.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

The better midday approach is to have two switches on your lighting system to achieve adjustable intensity. Then have only the highest intensity on during midday for about 6-7 hours and only a low intensity the rest of the total 12 hour photoperiod.


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