Looking for anecdotes on your refugium light schedule

[Matteo]

Do you run your fuge lights 24/7? Or do you run them on a schedule? If a schedule do you run them opposite of your DT lights? 

 

Just curious what you all do or what you think works best! 

I guess it depends in the systems but thats why I'm looking for simple anecdotes

 

Cheers!

[Emerald525]

I am new to the refugium world and my tank has only been up a month but I have been running the light from 6pm to 6am.  From what I have read most people recommend running opposite the day lights and so far so good.

Great post would be curious what others experience is. 

[Matteo]

5 minutes ago, Emerald525 said:

I am new to the refugium world and my tank has only been up a month but I have been running the light from 6pm to 6am.  From what I have read most people recommend running opposite the day lights and so far so good.

Great post would be curious what others experience is. 

I'm currently running 24/7 to help combat algae since my upgrade is "new" but I'm wondering if going back to the split schedule would be better 🤔 

[Micah]

I know this isn't apples to apples, but it's kinda close. I run my algae turf scrubber in an overlapping reverse lighting schedule to my main display.   The more I read, the more I understand that plant life, even algae, needs a dark period.  

My daytime schedule is 9:30-9:30, but I run my scrubber lights 6pm to Noon.   I've found that the opposing schedule helps reduce the pH swing at night.  

[Matteo]

Makes sense!

[Emerald525]

50 minutes ago, Micah said:

I know this isn't apples to apples, but it's kinda close. I run my algae turf scrubber in an overlapping reverse lighting schedule to my main display.   The more I read, the more I understand that plant life, even algae, needs a dark period.  

My daytime schedule is 9:30-9:30, but I run my scrubber lights 6pm to Noon.   I've found that the opposing schedule helps reduce the pH swing at night.  

This is the same concept for refugium  and the rationale I had for running it at night.  

[Parzifal]

There’s no one perfect method, most seem to recommend a reverse photoperiod to the main display for two reasons:

1) PH control

2) dark period for photosynthesis

having a reverse photoperiod (refugium lit overnight and “dark” during the day) allows for photosynthesis to occur 24 hours a day(12 when your display tank lights are on and 12 when your refugium is on).  Ph will actually increase while the lights are on and then lower when they are off.  Using a reverse photoperiod for refugiums seems to stabilize the ph swings.

 

most plants have been found to grow better when they get dark periods.  Most plants have been found to survive and grow with 24 hours nonstop lighting, but they won’t thrive. A few species of macros may sexualize with non stop light.  Google photosynthesis dark reactions for more info.

[BeardUp]

I run reverse with a bit of overlap. I overlap in the morning for a few hours to help with PH swings. Fuge kicks on about 30-45 minutes before blues are off and run for 1-2 hours after whites are on the next day. 

[Matteo]

Based off everyone's responses and some reading on my own I switched to an opposite light schedule. 

 

Thanks everyone!

[Blue Z Reef]

In the past I found about 16ish hours was a pretty decent sweet spot and just opposite your primary lighting schedule. When I ran 24 hours growth wasn’t as good. Been a long time though since I’ve had a Chaeto based fuge, right now I just grow nems in my fuge when I can catch them from my display 😂. Not really for nutrient export though, but I do run it slightly offset from my primary lights to help with pH.

[Matteo]

4 minutes ago, Blue Z Reef said:

In the past I found about 16ish hours was a pretty decent sweet spot and just opposite your primary lighting schedule. When I ran 24 hours growth wasn’t as good. Been a long time though since I’ve had a Chaeto based fuge, right now I just grow nems in my fuge when I can catch them from my display 😂. Not really for nutrient export though, but I do run it slightly offset from my primary lights to help with pH.

Got any csb nems in that sump?

[Blue Z Reef]

3 minutes ago, Matteo said:

Got any csb nems in that sump?

I wish...I have a wife so no CSBs LOL 😂 

[Bicyclebill]

I have tried all of the above over the years. I run reverse schedule just because my current system gets by with only 5 hrs on. Heat management is a deciding factor for me, as well as anecdotally my calcium reactor. 

[Matteo]

10 hours ago, Bicyclebill said:

I have tried all of the above over the years. I run reverse schedule just because my current system gets by with only 5 hrs on. Heat management is a deciding factor for me, as well as anecdotally my calcium reactor. 

Heat? What light are you using?

[Bicyclebill]

2 hours ago, Matteo said:

Heat? What light are you using?

Vipar Spectra black box size something or other grow light. It's not that it puts out much heat, but that my tank starts to climb in temperature once my house gets above 73 degrees. My (3) Reefled 160's and (4) T5 bulbs are adding the heat. After setting up my new tank last year though, I've had trouble keeping my phosphate and nitrates up so don't run the fuge very long. And my giant new badass skimmer helps with that too.