Light time for discus, important?

[Martin in China]

I'm starting a bare bottom Discus only tank and I am wondering how important it is to have enough hours of light above the tank.
there is always some ambiance light coming into the tank, but obviously I want to see my fish in the best possible light, as I am only home in the evening or weekends I would like to turn on the lights above the tank from 4 to 10 pm, but this means that the fish will have a long day (sun up 7 am, sun down 8 pm where I live) would this stress the fish to much or is it OK?

[Keith Perkins]

I've left tank lights on for 24 hours straight for days and have left nothing but a lamp on in the corner while I've been on vacation for week. Neither seemed to particular bother my fish. Your plan should be fine.

[rickztahone]

The discus will not care one bit. They can have the lights on all day or off all day every day. Makes no difference really.

Turn the lights on when you are home most and enjoy your discus.

Welcome to SimplyDiscus Martin :)

[kirby]

As a biology professor who works on circadian rhythms, I'd suggest that you give your fish a light:dark cycle using a timer device. With the exception of some deep-sea or subterranean animals, the majority of animals will perform better under light:dark cycle. For example, the detrimental effects of shift work on human health are well-documented and think how crap you feel when jet-lagged. This is because the light:dark cycle influences almost every aspect of an animal's physiology and many physiological processes are organized to occur at a certain time each day. Your fish are not going to keel over and die under constant light but they will be happier with a light:dark cycle.

[chuckiesmalls]

As a biology professor who works on circadian rhythms, I'd suggest that you give your fish a light:dark cycle using a timer device. With the exception of some deep-sea or subterranean animals, the majority of animals will perform better under light:dark cycle. For example, the detrimental effects of shift work on human health are well-documented and think how crap you feel when jet-lagged. This is because the light:dark cycle influences almost every aspect of an animal's physiology and many physiological processes are organized to occur at a certain time each day. Your fish are not going to keel over and die under constant light but they will be happier with a light:dark cycle.

I would agree..but who am I? Just a dumb newb...LOL

I do notice that when the lights are off at night my fish do go into a 'rest' mode and kinda chill out or their colors fade out a little like they are resting.

When I wake them up in the morning to feed before work they act way different(sleepy/lethargic I guess you could say?) than when I come home from work after 5pm and the tank lights have been off all day, they arte VERY ACTIVE and not lethargic seeming at all. In the morning, they need like 10 mns to 'wake up' or they will just kind of let the food float. If they've had sufficient time to wake they GO AT IT ASAP! They get the ambient light a little and must know it is day time during the day when the lights are off.

I've heard people say when on vacation its best to just keep the lights off 24/7 and the fish will be fine and honestly...where in the wild would these fish be getting major light like most tank lights provide? Most fish are way beneath the surface Id imagine or in crevices and stuff.... I'd have to think and get limited lighting in the wild as it is.

I know for humans for example if you go to the gym a lot but do not allow yourself adequate rest/sleep periods your 'gains' in strength /muscle will be VERY limited. Although fish and humans...not the same LOL

I want big FAT discus so I will let mine rest at night with the lights off

[Martin in China]

Thanks guys, I will turn the light above the tank off at 9 pm, this would give the fish enough time to rest.

[John_Nicholson]

You can just leave the light on 24/7/365 and they will be fine. I never turn off the lights in my fish house while I have fry. They have not been turned off in several years.

-john

[Martin in China]

If I would ever have fry, I will give them a night light (the once for little kids), but the lights I have are a bit to bright to leave the whole night on, they would even disturb me....:p

[jeff12]

Is any light too strong? 6500k is that okay?

[SomeFin's Fishy]

I have all of the lights in the fish room on timers. They turn on at 0700 hours (just prior to the first feeding) and off at 2200 hours (just after the last feeding). I use blue LED lights on timers (at night) over most of the tanks, especially the fry tanks, to allow them to feed as long as possible. With the blue lights on at night, the fish don't get startled if I have to go into the fish room at night after all the regular lights are shut off.

[rickztahone]

Is any light too strong? 6500k is that okay?

6500k is to do with kelvin temperature measurement and not intensity of light. 6500k is closer to actual daylight rendering as opposed to something like 12k which would be really blue and more suitable for salt water tanks. When you get in to T5 territory and higher watts is when you are talking about more High Output lighting and you must be careful with it or else you can easily have a battle with algae that could have been avoided.

[rickztahone]

I have all of the lights in the fish room on timers. They turn on at 0700 hours (just prior to the first feeding) and off at 2200 hours (just after the last feeding). I use blue LED lights on timers (at night) over most of the tanks, especially the fry tanks, to allow them to feed as long as possible. With the blue lights on at night, the fish don't get startled if I have to go into the fish room at night after all the regular lights are shut off.

Personally I think this is the best approach. Can you keep the lights on all the time? I think many experts here will say yes. However, you have to consider that leaving lights on ALL the time is very unnecessary, especially considering how much extra money you are spending on light that serves no purpose. I only see it as an additional way to save some extra money where you can. A whole fish room can be lit by a simple blue light fixture at night or something like it.

Just my .02