# A lighting siesta?



## xrisnothing (Jul 6, 2011)

Encylopedia of Aquarium Plants by Peter Hiscock recommends a "siesta" during the day, that is, a 2-3 hour lighting break. The author claims that this will help fight against algae, as plants are able to begin photosynthesis faster than algae can. 

I like the idea of this simply because it lets me enjoy the tank more without lengthening my photoperiod, as the lights are off for 2 hours while I'm at work. 

Is there much truth to the author's claims?


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## Sharkfood (May 2, 2010)

I've heard many people claim this. I personally don't believe it, but have never tested photosynthetic response times on algae. Plants begin photosynthesizing almost immediately when exposed to sufficient light (I remember doing a carbohydrate level test back in college). My guess would be that algae likely does also. 

Maybe someone has done a "carbohydrate" level test with algae?

I would love to see some indesputable data to finally put the debate to rest.


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## Steve001 (Feb 26, 2011)

I don't know if the claim is true, but a siesta won't hurt. On the other hand a true lights out and no photosynthesis may not be what the term siesta actually meant originally. Here's why I think. In the wild plants are subjected to varying light intensities with photosynthesis still occurring during those low periods amounting to many siestas during the day. A siesta is probably a low light period of photosynthesis.

My tank runs off of window light which obviously fluctuates through out the day and year- no algae and the plants grow. This has been the setup for maybe 10 years now. The only time I've had algae occurred during prolonged high light periods.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

xrisnothing said:


> Encylopedia of Aquarium Plants by Peter Hiscock recommends a "siesta" during the day, that is, a 2-3 hour lighting break. The author claims that this will help fight against algae, as plants are able to begin photosynthesis faster than algae can.
> 
> I like the idea of this simply because it lets me enjoy the tank more without lengthening my photoperiod, as the lights are off for 2 hours while I'm at work.
> 
> Is there much truth to the author's claims?


No, there is not, won't hurt though.


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## trag (Apr 27, 2010)

plantbrain said:


> No, there is not, won't hurt though.


There may not be much truth to the faster-photosynthesis-start, but having a siesta in the middle of the day does allow one to reduce the total number of lights-on hours while having the lights on in the morning and the evening.

For many of us, if we can see our fish in the morning and the evening and there's no siesta, then the lights are on fourteen hours a day. Put a break in the afternoon, and you can still have the lights on while you're home, but you can also reduce the total hours down to ten or twelve.

I have often found that algae problems can be solved by reduced number of hours of lighting.


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## RickRS (Dec 31, 2010)

xrisnothing said:


> I like the idea of this simply because it lets me enjoy the tank more without lengthening my photoperiod, as the lights are off for 2 hours while I'm at work.


That what I believe is the main advantage, more time in the evening to enough viewing your aquarium without leaving the lights on for 14 hours. I was using a 4 hour break allowing the wife to enjoy the view before leaving for work in the morning and still view the fish well into the evening with only 8 hours total illumination. Since shorten the break for 10 hour illumination (5 hour periods morning and evening).


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## Siksten (Nov 15, 2014)

Sorry for this very late posting, but actually Diana Walstad claims in her book that one of the benefits of siesta period for aquarium plants is increased CO2 level after siesta period (during light off period plants produce CO2), which allows plants grow better than by continuous lighting day and thus fight algae better. 

The other benefit of siesta period, which is not mentioned here yet, is, that by continuous and long lighting the water temperature may increase (depending the lighting bulbs) several degrees, which is not good. Using siesta there won't be such problem, the water temperature will be more even during 24 h.


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