About a month ago I posted some observations (not facts...LOL) that I thought my SPS's were reacting well to leaving the lights off for 24 hours every week or 2. TO test the validity, I have been going through a total blackout every 7 days for the past month. I do not plan on continuing this, I'm just testing the other end of the spectrum. I wish I had taken closeups of my SPS so I could gauge growth, but I have gotten good propogation of my zoas for sure over the past month. A colony of 5 tubs blues increased to 8, about 10 neptune blues almost doubled, and my galaxy sparkles have probably tripled. I've only been paying attention to those since they are some of my rarer one that I want to grow. My SPS's have noticable growth over the past month too, especially my ORA blue tort which has really ticked me off it grows so slow. For the first time since Sept. I can actually look at it an tell it grew.
Again, none of this was scientific and it may just be better tank parameters or the tank is maturing as a reef but I can say the 24-hour blackout doesn't appear to have hurt anything. The only odd occurrence has been a rise in nitrAtes from about 5 ppm to 10-15 during this period even with PWC's. I also have had a couple of tiny patches of cyano
Didn't expect any cyano with lights out. Possibly the nitrification bacteria really like the dark????
My GBTA has also grown well over the past month, but it has a hosted pair of PIcasso CLowns hosting it now so it may just be happier/better fed now.
Anyways, I'll quit rambling. Here's a pic too....LOL. I think it persuaded my clowns to host the GBTA. THey didn't want a shark to take ther nem:yay:
Again, none of this was scientific and it may just be better tank parameters or the tank is maturing as a reef but I can say the 24-hour blackout doesn't appear to have hurt anything. The only odd occurrence has been a rise in nitrAtes from about 5 ppm to 10-15 during this period even with PWC's. I also have had a couple of tiny patches of cyano
Didn't expect any cyano with lights out. Possibly the nitrification bacteria really like the dark????My GBTA has also grown well over the past month, but it has a hosted pair of PIcasso CLowns hosting it now so it may just be happier/better fed now.
Anyways, I'll quit rambling. Here's a pic too....LOL. I think it persuaded my clowns to host the GBTA. THey didn't want a shark to take ther nem:yay:
