# Rest period in the day for plants



## Deator (Aug 19, 2016)

What is everyones thoughts on having a down time during the day for lighting? I have my lights go on from 9-12, then off from 12-4, then on again from 4-9. And during this time, I sometimes just have natural light from the window. The only type co2 I do is excel.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

Never really saw the point in the this. I've always kept my lighting on for a straight 8 hours.


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## Deator (Aug 19, 2016)

I have read, in a low tech, it lets the co2 rise during the day.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Deator said:


> What is everyones thoughts on having a down time during the day for lighting? I have my lights go on from 9-12, then off from 12-4, then on again from 4-9. And during this time, I sometimes just have natural light from the window. The only type co2 I do is excel.


Hi Deator,

Welcome to TPT!

I've done a 'split period' for years on my tanks and my plants do just fine. I run my lighting from 8 to 10 in the morning and and from 6:30 to 9:00 in the evening. I did this so I could enjoy my tanks in the morning and in the evening when I am usually in my office on the computer.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Seattle you only run your lights for 4.5 hrs total?


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

houseofcards said:


> Seattle you only run your lights for 4.5 hrs total?


Hi @houseofcards,

I have a lot of light; typical PAR at substrate is 50 - 70 with some approaching [email protected]; I guess I could up my photoperiod but then I leave myself open for other issues to arise. I have semi-adopted Tom Barr's 'Light Limited Aquarium' model - sufficient nutrients and CO2 and control growth (and algae) by adjusting my photoperiod.


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## ichy (Apr 6, 2015)

I have mine split, 3hrs in the morning 4 at night.

co2 goes on an hour before the lights come on for each period.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi @houseofcards,
> 
> I have a lot of light; typical PAR at substrate is 50 - 70 with some approaching [email protected]; I guess I could up my photoperiod but then I leave myself open for other issues to arise. I have semi-adopted Tom Barr's 'Light Limited Aquarium' model - sufficient nutrients and CO2 and control growth (and algae) by adjusting my photoperiod.


Makes perfect sense, since all is well and your not that. You'll obviously minimize any problems that could arise especially with that much light.


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## SwissCheeseHead (Dec 24, 2014)

I do a split too, at 3 hours in the morning and 4 hours at night. This is so that I can enjoy the tank on the weekends, during the day when I'm home, and at night during the week, when I'm at work during the day, plus the added "benefits" of having a split photoperiod, whatever that may be.


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## K1963158 (Aug 15, 2016)

LOL looks like the only benefit for split times is to the Aquarist so they can have their morning coffee and look at their fish-ies!

I put mine on late in the afternoon so they shut off at 11:00 just so I can enjoy the tank at night.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

K1963158 said:


> LOL looks like the only benefit for split times is to the Aquarist so they can have their morning coffee and look at their fish-ies!
> 
> I put mine on late in the afternoon so they shut off at 11:00 just so I can enjoy the tank at night.


LOL your probably right, although if it controls algae that could be a benefit to both (Human and Plant)

Right now my tanks are on from around 1pm to 9pm. I've never done the split period but I think I might try it.
.


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## SwissCheeseHead (Dec 24, 2014)

That's the case for me. I hate it when guests visit in the afternoon, but my lights are off from 12p-5pm. They get to look into an unlit tank....great...


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## AbbeysDad (Apr 13, 2016)

I've always tried to emulate nature. When I had the lame (2 - 15w florescent) lights before living plants, I had them on two timers. One came on at 7-8am, off at 11pm. The other came on at about noon and off at 6pm. Now I have the Finnex Planted+ 24/7 running in 24/7 mode. On at 6am, off at midnight. Very realistic and plants are doing great.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Actually I work at home a lot so I guess if I do split period I'll have to do it around nap time. >


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## redavalanche (Dec 7, 2014)

Split period with 2 hour rest, not sure that is enough. Only care about the plants as the tank has been a real struggle.


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## Deator (Aug 19, 2016)

I have been experimenting with going lights off and no co2 for 2 complete days every month. Just any natural light the tank gets. And the tank has been responding very positively. Kinda like a rest for the tank.


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## 2RDHEDZ (Sep 8, 2012)

I do a split - 6:00 to 10:00 & 4:00 to 9 - I've found I get much less algae to deal with. I only use excel.


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## Django (Jun 13, 2012)

I have a ten gallon tank with 20W of CFLs running a straight 8 hours a day. The bulbs are suspended about a foot above the tank. I've run into a problem when lowering the bulbs that algae starts growing and I think maybe this is the lowest I can go at this wattage, but sufficient fertilization helps this problem.

I have seen people say that if you're going to do a siesta it has to be a minium 4 hours for the plants to react.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Django said:


> I have a ten gallon tank with 20W of CFLs running a straight 8 hours a day. The bulbs are suspended about a foot above the tank. I've run into a problem when lowering the bulbs that algae starts growing and I think maybe this is the lowest I can go at this wattage, but sufficient fertilization helps this problem.
> 
> I have seen people say that if you're going to do a siesta it has to be a minium 4 hours for the plants to react.


Hi Django,

I too have a 10 gallon with 2X10 watt CFL lamps. If you lower the bulbs then shorten the photoperiod to the same amount of 'PAR hours' (a name I just made up for light intensity X time) hits the substrate. The plants would likely benefit from the higher light intensity, especially the plants that have a tendency to turn red.

10 gallon; no CO2; STS Substrate; EI ferts; 2X10 watt CFL


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## Django (Jun 13, 2012)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi Django,
> 
> I too have a 10 gallon with 2X10 watt CFL lamps. If you lower the bulbs then shorten the photoperiod to the same amount of 'PAR hours' (a name I just made up for light intensity X time) hits the substrate. The plants would likely benefit from the higher light intensity, especially the plants that have a tendency to turn red.
> 
> 10 gallon; no CO2; STS Substrate; EI ferts; 2X10 watt CFL





Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi Django,
> 
> I too have a 10 gallon with 2X10 watt CFL lamps. If you lower the bulbs then shorten the photoperiod to the same amount of 'PAR hours' (a name I just made up for light intensity X time) hits the substrate. The plants would likely benefit from the higher light intensity, especially the plants that have a tendency to turn red.
> 
> 10 gallon; no CO2; STS Substrate; EI ferts; 2X10 watt CFL


I really have found that fertilizer and using the right amount makes a big difference and allows the plants to grow if you have suffiecient but not too much light. Nice pic.


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## patfat (Oct 23, 2015)

im sure you have heard enough of it already but I felt like commenting any ways haha!! I have my lights come on from 12-3 then 6-10...Im out the house at 6am so the first photo period is for my girlfriend before she goes to work...then im home by 3 take a little nap then usually an hour before lights are on im up and about and can enjoy the tank while i do things around the house and wait for my lady to come home..then we both can enjoy while we have dinner and relaxation on the sofa...so far its been working for me and i just have co2 come on the same time as my lights do and it works for me and the growth i get in the tank!


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## Watercrayfish (Apr 21, 2016)

I run 6am-10am | siesta period 3 hrs | 1pm-3pm, then night for 2 hours whenever I am there to enjoy it.
Run DIY CO2 so there siesta period may be helping the CO2 to get at its saturation.
This is my plant grower tank. One 13W CFL bulb and 30W Flood light 15 cm above water level.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Deator said:


> What is everyones thoughts on having a down time during the day for lighting? I have my lights go on from 9-12, then off from 12-4, then on again from 4-9. And during this time, I sometimes just have natural light from the window. The only type co2 I do is excel.


If you are using just Excel, you probably have low light. Diana Walstad, who uses only low light, found that a rest period caused the CO2 content in the water to recover from the plants using it. I now have a drop checker with 0.5 dKH water in it, and it lets me monitor the approximate amount of CO2 in the water in the 2 to 15 ppm range. My tank is also low light. I find the CO2 drops well below the normal atmospheric 3 ppm after the lights are on a few hours. I use DIY CO2 in addition to Excel, and it keeps that drop from happening. When the DIY CO2 output is very low, which it often is, the drop does occur.


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