Photoperiod on refugium?

[bigloggerhead]

I set up my new tank about 2 months ago. I had been alternating my photoperiod with my main tank. Main lights on, fuge light off. Main lights off, fuge light on. I currently have caulerpa in my fuge and had a problem with some die off. My friend said it was actually better to keep the fuge light on 24/7. I've heard its better to alternate the two to keep Ph spikes down. Input please.

[Bebo77]

i ran it 24/7 helps to keep you PH stable... doesnt hurt either..

[josh holt]

the fuge on my 125 has grape calurpa in it . that light i run 24/7 it seems to do best that way. the fuge on my 58 i have chaeto and that light was run opposite of the tank lights. when i would run the lights 24/7 it would get mushy and die.

[bigloggerhead]

I have the mexican caulerpa, I think its called, but its been getting mushy and dying. My friend seems to think its been because of me alternating the photoperiod.

[ACBlinky]

I ran mine 24/7 for a while, now I have the fuge lights running opposite the MH because it helps to keep the temperature more stable (now the PCs inside the cabinet are off when the MH are on above, rather than adding their heat to the MH and raising the temperature). I'm also keeping a few zoa frags in the 'fuge right now and I doubt they'd do well without a period of darkness. The current schedule is:

11am - T5 actinics come on
1:30pm - MH come on, PC fuge light turns off
8:30pm - MH turn off, PC fuge light turns on
11pm - T5 actinics turn off

So out of every 24h the fuge is lit for 17h. Chaeto seems to do well either 24/7 or opposite the main lights and won't go sexual (turn white, melt and release gametes into the water which can cause an ammonia spike) -- if you can get chaeto instead of caulerpa it might work better for you.

[bigloggerhead]

I heard chaeto was kinda messy. Gets all over your sump.

[itz frank]

Pro's for on all the time: while the macro is getting "sunlight" it creates more oxygen in the water. While it's off it sucks some out.

If having it on all the time won't cause problems for the macro... aside from shortening bulb life i don't see many cons.

[stryker]

I thought photosynthesis required a dark phase as well...

[SuperNerd]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8827191#post8827191 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bigloggerhead
I have the mexican caulerpa, I think its called, but its been getting mushy and dying. My friend seems to think its been because of me alternating the photoperiod.

Sounds like it's going sexual. Gets clear, right?

Keeping lights on 24/7 is supposed to prevent that.

[bigloggerhead]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8827873#post8827873 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SuperNerd
Sounds like it's going sexual. Gets clear, right?

Keeping lights on 24/7 is supposed to prevent that.

That's exactly what's happening.