Blacking out a tank for a few days?

[gnashty]

I was reading some random threads over on RC and someone had mentioned going on vacation and wanted LFS recomendations. One guys said to black out the tank while he was out of town. Lights off, and dark paper covering all the glass so no light could get in. Said the tank would look great after a couple days.

I assume this would trigger all the night time clean up critters to come out and do a mass clean fest....or the guy was joking.

Anyone ever do this or hear of it?

 

[rdnelson]

In addition to the night time clean up crew, it would starve the algae of the light needed to stay alive. From what Mark said at the meeting last week, it won't do much for bubble algea but will for most of the other types.

 

[hud3339]

I've done this in the past to kill algae. From what I'm told it starved it. I just took 2 huge blankets

 

[ff337]

Black plastic trashbags taped to the stand and canopy work great too.

 

[darren24]

I used to do this in the past. I would not cover the tank but shut out the lights, close the blinds, etc. The corals did seem to like the couple days of darkness...

 

[rdnelson]

Just don't let it comprimise gas exchange and oxygenation.

FF337;725369 wrote: Black plastic trashbags taped to the stand and canopy work great too.

 

[cbj25]

I would do this with my fw tanks in college if my rockwork started looking green. Marc (Melev) actually discussed blacking out his tank for 3 days (just turned off lights, did not wrap the tank or blanket it) to fight cyano. He said he lost 1 little sps frag, sandbed was super white, cyano gone, and rockwork clean. The only concern I see is if you do that then blast your corals with the PAR your LEDs put out, it could some corals stressing out. Let us know how it works out for ya if you try it.

 

[misu]

I lost a couple of small "fresh" frags also, used thick paper to cover the tanks for 2 days. I think it helped, algae was bleached when the lights came out

 

[kilo32]

Are the fish OK with this?

 

[ff337]

rdnelson99;725373 wrote: Just don't let it comprimise gas exchange and oxygenation.

Covering the glass with plastic doesn't cover the top.

 

[rdnelson]

That was my concern. Some of the more inexperienced readers may have read that and just pulled a trash bag over the top. Well OK, I could see myself doing that anyway. LOL

 

[ff337]

I said tape it from the cabinet to the canopy not over the top

 

[rdnelson]

Sorry, guess I should pay closer attention. LOL

FF337;725453 wrote: I said tape it from the cabinet to the canopy not over the top

 

[liverock27]

Would you still feed your fish during this blackout period?

 

[mcphock]

I did a 3 day black out to kill some cyano a long time ago in a 29 gallon cube. It all</em> died and never returned. Coral didnt look happy for bit, but nothing died.

 

[gnashty]

Well, when I went out of town last week I turned off the white lights but let the actinics stay on. I was gone for 4 days and when I came home my tank has never looked better. ALL the cyano gone, nice white sandbed and it hasnt returned...knock on wood.

 

[rolo65]

It's completely natural for there to be blackout period in the wild....storms block out the sun for days at a time in some places during certain times of year....and the fish don't need light kilo32, and liverock27....the fish can go for 2-3 weeks without being fed.....if there's livestock in the system and it's a established one....theres probably more than enough food to keep everything happy

 

[enderg60]

I did it for 3 days dark, one day light, 3 days dark.

Worked great. I used some big blankets.

 

[merkywater]

gnashty;731391 wrote: Well, when I went out of town last week I turned off the white lights but let the actinics stay on. I was gone for 4 days and when I came home my tank has never looked better. ALL the cyano gone, nice white sandbed and it hasnt returned...knock on wood.

Gary did you adjust your light schedule after doing the semi black out? Also any corals look upset?

 

[gnashty]

merkywater;731494 wrote: Gary did you adjust your light schedule after doing the semi black out? Also any corals look upset?

I didnt adjust anything, just flipped the switches and let the timer resume its previous schedule. Its been 7 days since and nothing looks upset.