lighting

[barrowkwan]

Does anyone turn off their light at night? I just started doing this yesterday. When I turn on the light this morning, all my discus are stressed and swim crazy in the tank ( few of them hit the tank bit hard ). This is a planted tank.

[Apistomaster]

I and many others who have planted discus aquariums use a light timer. They need a normal Circadian rhythm. They will get used to being on a schedule, just be patient.

[barrowkwan]

Hi Larry,

thanks for a quick respond. I was thinking about the dimmer that will make the light up gradually ( like simulate the sunrise/susnset ) but they are bit expensive.. I guess I will need to be patient... :)

[yim11]

I have blue LED 'moon' lights that come on about 5 minutes before the main lights go off. You may want to consider something like this if you don't want to have sudden darkness.

HTHs,
-jim

[Ed13]

Hi Larry,

thanks for a quick respond. I was thinking about the dimmer that will make the light up gradually ( like simulate the sunrise/susnset ) but they are bit expensive.. I guess I will need to be patient... :)
Dimmers cannot be used with ballast firing bulbs like fluorescents or Metal Halides unless specified by manufacturer, but considering there are less than a handful of those....

[discussmith]

Most manufacturers now make dimmers for both electronic ballasts and magnetic ballasts and no longer need to be matched to the ballast manufacturer. While they cost about twice to three times an incandescent dimmers price they are not anywhere near what the old matched dimmer and ballast prices were. LED undercabinet type lights can be reasonably purchased at most lumber yards and can be plugged into a timer to come on before the main lights go off and again before they come on if your tank is in a room with no natural light. Otherwise wait for the sunlight to wake up your fish before you dump full brightness on them.

[Ed13]

Most manufacturers now make dimmers for both electronic ballasts and magnetic ballasts and no longer need to be matched to the ballast manufacturer.
Well, there you go I did not know that.

[barrowkwan]

My fish seems ok now with the lighting but what I did wass to turn on/off the main light and the moon light behind the tank. I thought the reason why they stressed is not only because of the sudden bright light but I show up all of a sudden to them. I am trying to make them get used to the lighting and then will try the same exercise in front of the tank :D

my light only has one power cord with two switch on the top to control the main light and the moon light. Next step will be open the light box and split the power cord into two so that I can setup the timer to turn main light on then moon light off AND moon light on then main light off..

[digthemlows]

My moon lights are on through the night and I turn on the room light first, then 30 minutes later the tank light comes on..........works like a charm!