When should I leave the Fuge lights on?

[flowerfish88]

Should I turn on the fuge light when the main light turns off and turn off when it turn off? And if so, why?

[xfactor]

most people turn fuge lights on when main lights go off, some people like me run them 24/7.

[jdallred]

Do you have macro algae in the fuge? If yes, what kind?

The reason for doing a reverse lighting on your system is to help with keeping the pH more stable. When the lights go off pH tends to drop, having the fuge light come on when the display light is off will help to keep the pH constant.

However if you have caulerpa in your system I would advise against turning the fuge light off and running it 24/7. This is why:
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The problem with caulerpa is for one that it is the largest single celled organism on the planet. if caulerpa isn’t lit 24/7 and is allowed a dark period it begins to produce gametes, egg and sperm. These gametes build up behind the cell wall to the point that they break the tissue to be released into the water column...

when this is happening the algae strands will turn white/transparent and then will die off....now its not so much the worry of the release of egg and sperm into the water column that is of concern (however there is concern, that the two gametes could join in your display and begin growing rampantly in your display) the problem lies more in the break in cell wall and leakage of cytoplasm into the sump/display

Caulerpa actually carries a toxin called caulerpacin in the cytoplasm, and this is the cause of so much worry...the toxin can bind with fish gills causing them to drown in essence, and also has a really nasty effect on corals, usually resulting in the loss of many colonies!

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Hope this helps.

[xfactor]

also doesn't it flush a lot of nitrates back into the system as well causing a spike.

[tanker]

Originally posted by xfactor
also doesn't it flush a lot of nitrates back into the system as well causing a spike.

YES, if they go asexual. I have lots in my refugy. Lights on 24/7.

[flowerfish88]

I have Feathery Caulerpa I've purchased from Indo Pacific and sea lettuce.

[xfactor]

yah if you leave it on 24/7 they shouldn't go sexual. I believe other people even prune them.

[kmk2307]

I run my 'fuge 24/7. I grow mostly chaetomorpha but I also have caulerpa racemosa, caulerpa taxifolia, and caulerpa prolifera.

Kevin