In summary, leaving your aquarium lights on all the time is not recommended. The tank light should remain on for approximately 8-10 hours and no more than 12 hours per day. All fish (and plants) need periods of darkness in a day, much like life in their natural environment.
Is it better to leave the aquarium light on or off?
Put your lights on timers. It is best to follow a day/night schedule, if you don’t have a timer leave the lights off (only for short journeys, long journeys require a timer). The fish are less active and therefore require less food, and there is less risk of algal blooms from the longer hours of light.
How often should I leave my aquarium light on?
How long should I leave my aquarium lights on? To provide animals and plants with the necessary lighting, 10-12 hours a day is enough. Installing a timer or buying a device with a built-in timer can simplify lighting—just set it and forget it. Remember that algae also love light.
Should you leave the aquarium lights on at night?
Should you leave the aquarium lights on at night? Good aquarium lighting is essential for fish and plants, but so is the dark period when they can rest and recover. Therefore, it is best to turn off aquarium lights at night to mimic the natural light cycle of plants and fish.
Can I leave the blue light on in the aquarium at night?
Blue Light and Nocturnal Fish Blue light is a problem for fish that follow a regular day/night cycle. You can’t leave lights like that on all night. That being said, blue lights are perfectly acceptable for aquariums with nocturnal fish.
Do LED lights cause more algae in the aquarium?
Do LED lights cause algae in the aquarium? LED aquarium lights do not cause any more algae growth than fluorescent lights, with some hobbyists even believing that an LED bulb actually inhibits algae growth.
How do you know if the fish are happy?
Your fish will be happy and healthy when they:
- Actively swim around the tank, rather than just hanging around or lying on the bottom, swimming on top, or hiding behind plants and ornaments.
- Eat regularly and swim to the surface quickly while eating.
Can I leave my aquarium lights on 24/7?
The answer is yes, your tank light should only be on for a maximum of 12 hours, let alone if you don’t have live plants. Too much light can cause health problems for your fish as well as algae problems.
Which light color is best for the aquarium?
Red, blue and green LEDs are commonly used for standard aquarium lighting as these light temperatures greatly enhance the colors of objects in the aquarium. Colors of aquatic plants look much richer and more vivid, goldfish, shrimp and of course red leaf stem plants look much more striking.